Freight, passenger transport to St Martin on alternative routes from Thursday

Local administration will start the freight and passenger transport ti the Saint Martin's Island through alternative routes from Thursday (June 13) after seven days of closure.

Cox's Bazar DC Muhammad Shaheen Imran confirmed.

He said: "The decision was taken in an emergency meeting of the district administration on Wednesday."

"Two trawlers from Teknaf will sail for the St Martin's with essentials to ease the food crisis on the island," he added.

Teknaf-Saint Martin route has been closed for seven days due to the shooting of a group of armed men on a trawler at Naikhangdia Point in Myanmar. As a result, food shortages started to appear on the coral island.

The Coast Guard will provide security for safe transportation of the essentials, Shaheen said after an emergency meeting of officials at the deputy commissioner's office.

Within a day or two, a vessel from Cox's Bazar's BIWTA jetty will make regular trips to the island to keep it supplied, the additional district magistrate added.

According to island residents and public representatives, an unknown armed group of Myanmar is stationed in Teknaf's Naf river and Naikhangdia point in Bay of Bengal.

The group does not allow trawlers or speed boats to ply the Teknaf-Saint Martin sea route. Firing is being done as soon as any trawler or boat is seen on that route.