3 ships sail for St Martin with 1,200 tourists in first trip

Three ships carrying 1,200 tourists have left for Saint Martin’s Island on the first trip of the season. The vessels departed from the BIWTA jetty at Nuniachhara in Cox’s Bazar at 7:15am on Monday, December 1.

Travellers from across the country began arriving at the jetty from dawn. Before boarding, each passenger was handed an “eco-friendly” water bottle as a gift from the administration.

The ships— MV Karnaphuli Express, MV Bar Auliya and Keari Sindabad— began their journey in compliance with government directives. A maximum of 2,000 tourists may travel daily on authorised vessels, with overnight stays on the island allowed until January 31.

Tourists must purchase tickets from a Bangladesh Tourism Board-certified online platform, each containing a travel pass and QR code. Tickets without a QR code will be treated as fake.

Hossain Islam Bahadur, general secretary of the Sea Cruise Operator Owners Association of Bangladesh, said six ships have been permitted, and three sailed on Monday based on proportional passenger demand. Departure times are set considering tides and navigability, and the ships will return to Cox’s Bazar in the afternoon.

Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Abdul Mannan, who inspected the first trip at the jetty, said the district administration is committed to enforcing the guidelines and sought cooperation from tourists and stakeholders.