St Martin’s island reopens to tourists, strict rules to follow

After remaining closed for nine months, Saint Martin’s Island will reopen to tourists from tomorrow, November 1. A maximum of 2,000 visitors will be allowed on the island each day. However, tourists must strictly comply with 12 government directives aimed at protecting the island’s natural beauty, environment, and biodiversity.

Md Zomir Uddin, Director of the Department of Environment, said, “All preparations have been completed to implement the guidelines for preserving the island’s ecosystem and biodiversity.”

The 12 government guidelines for visiting Saint Martin’s Island are;

1. No vessel can travel to Saint Martin’s without approval from BIWTA and the Ministry of Environment.

2. Tickets must be purchased only through a web portal authorised by the Bangladesh Tourism Board.

3. Each ticket must contain a travel pass and QR code. Tickets without a QR code will be considered fake.

4. In November, only daytime visits will be allowed; overnight stays are prohibited.

5. Overnight stays will be permitted in December and January, while all tourist visits will be suspended in February.

6. A maximum of 2,000 tourists will be allowed entry per day.

7. Lighting fires, making loud noises, or hosting barbecues on the beach at night are banned.

8. Entering Keya forests or collecting/selling Keya fruits is prohibited.

9. Harming marine life such as turtles, corals, king crabs, and shells is strictly forbidden.

10. The use of motorbikes, sea bikes, or any motor vehicles on the beach is banned.

11. Carrying polythene or using single-use plastic items is discouraged.

12. Tourists are encouraged to use their own reusable water flasks.

Additional Deputy Magistrate (ADM) of Cox’s Bazar Md Shahidul Alam said, “The 12-point directive will be strictly enforced this time. For security reasons, tourist vessels will now depart from Cox’s Bazar city and cross the Bay of Bengal to reach Saint Martin’s.”

Deputy Director of the Bangladesh Tourism Board Mohibul Islam stated, “Tourists must purchase tickets online from an authorised portal of the Bangladesh Tourism Board. Each ticket will include a travel pass and QR code, and tickets without a valid code will be treated as fake.”

The government expects that strict enforcement of these rules will help protect the fragile environment and biodiversity of Saint Martin’s, turning the island into a model for responsible and eco-friendly tourism.

The coral-rich island had been off-limits to tourists since February 1. Travel has now been permitted for three months — from November to January — while tourist access will again be completely restricted in February.

According to the Department of Environment, Saint Martin’s hosts 1,076 species of biodiversity. Unregulated tourism, unplanned construction, and pollution had endangered the island’s ecology. However, during the nine-month closure, significant improvement has been observed in both the environment and biodiversity.

Locals said that in the past, sea creatures like snails often died due to the movement of motorbikes and easy bikes on the beach. Now, these species have begun to repopulate, and the harvesting of coral and algae has also stopped.

Advocate Mujibul Haque, Chairman of Youth Environment Society (YES) Cox’s Bazar, said, “Limiting the number of tourists has led to remarkable improvement in Saint Martin’s environment. Red crabs, shells, and snails are now more visible on the beach, and even sea turtles have started returning to lay eggs.”