The government has decided to limit tourism in Saint Martin's Island, the one and only coral island of Bangladesh, for four months as part of its efforts to ensure an environment-friendly atmosphere there. On the other hand single-use plastics - plastic products that are used once and then discarded will completely be banned in Saint Martin's Island. “Tourism in Saint Martin's Island will be limited for the next four months – November to February. The Council of Advisers took the decision today (Tuesday),” Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir told reporters at the Foreign Service Academy. As part of the decision, he said, the tourists will be allowed in Saint Martin's Island in November but they cannot stay there at night. In December and January, the tourists will be allowed there and they will stay at night. However, the number of tourists cannot exceed 2000 per day. Govt to temporarily limit tourism in Saint Martin's Island On the other hand, tourists will not be allowed in February to clean the Island and protect the environment. Responding to a separate question, Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder said the government is committed to looking into any logical demands from the people who remained aggrieved over the last 15 years. He, however, said the government will listen to them if their demands are sent through a proper channel. Regarding search committee to establish new Election Commission, Azad said there is specific process and it will be done following the existing law. Assistant Press Secretaries Nayem Ali and Shuchismita Tithi were present during the briefing.

About 2,000 homes were destroyed while over 10,000 houses partially damaged during tropical cyclone Mocha in the Saint Martin's island and Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar district, said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman on Monday. However, no casualties had been reported as the authorities concerned managed to move vulnerable people from cyclone-prone areas to shelters, he said while talking to reporters at the Secretariat. When the very severe cyclonic storm Mocha crossed Bangladesh's coast, the wind speed was 148 km per hour in the Saint Martin's island and 80 km in Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf, said the state minister. Mentioning about the damages caused by Mocha, Enamur said many trees were uprooted while a number of people were injured. They are undergoing treatment in local hospitals, he said. Besides, the local administration is taking care of those who returned to their respective homes after the announcement of hoisting local cautionary signal No 3 instead of great danger signal no 10 by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, he said. Also read: Powerful Cyclone Mocha floods homes, cuts communications in western Myanmar, at least 700 injured “We have asked to provide corrugated iron sheets and cash money for the rehabilitation of the people in vulnerable areas and a list will be made and necessary assistance will be provided as per the list,’ he said.  

Ship operations from Cox’s Bazar town to the Saint Martin’s Island began on Thursday, with the advent of this year’s tourism season that will last till March. The journey began after MV Karnaphuli, a cruise ship carrying 750 passengers, set sail for the coral island from the district’s BIWTA Ghat at about 7:30am. However, ship movement on the usual Teknaf-Saint Martin’s route has remained suspended by due to the emergence of chars in various parts of the Naf river. Samrat Chowdhury, a tourist who was travelling to the Saint Martin’s Island with his family, said that although his long-cherished wish of visiting the island has been fulfilled, it would be nicer if he could go to Teknaf through the Marine Drive road and make the journey from there. Hossain Islam Bahadur, Director of MV Karnaphuli, said that the ship is set to leave Cox’s Bazar at 7:30am and reach the Saint Martin’s at 12:30pm, while it will start the return journey at 3:00pm and reach the BIWTA Ghat at 8:30pm. Mujibur Rahman, Chairman of Saint Martin’s Union Parishad, said that they have taken allout preparations to welcome the tourists. Read: Tourist ship operations suspended on Teknaf-Saint Martin's Island route “Tourists are coming to the Saint Martin’s Island after seven months. The government has taken various steps to protect the biodiversity and environment of the island. We’re conducting awareness-raising campaigns so that tourists don’t pollute the island. Also, a total of 120 hotels-motels and 50 restaurants are ready to meet the demand for accommodation and food of the tourists,” said Mujibur. Tofayel Ahmad, President of Sea Cruise Operators’ Association Bangladesh (SCOAB), talked about the danger of operating ships on the Teknaf-Saint Martin’s route. “A fighting has been ongoing between the Myanmar army and Arakan Army for the last two months across the border, which is located just beside the Naf river where the tourist ships used to ply,”  he said. On the other hand, he said, some chars have also emerged in Naf River’s Bandar Mokam and other points, where ships have a chance to get stuck. “So, we’ve accepted the government’s move to stop movement of ships on this route,” said Tofayel. Some ship owners told UNB that besides MV Karnaphuli, two more ships are going to be added to the fleet within the next 30 days. On October 15, a ship --MV Baro Auliya--with a capacity for 550 passengers will start its journey, while another ship --Bay One--with a capacity for 1500 passengers will start operating from Chattogram’s Patenga to the coral Island from November 3. Md Erfanul Haque Chowdhury, the acting Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Teknaf, provided some reasons why ship operations between Teknaf-Cox’s Bazar have been suspended. Read: Cyclone Yaas: Unusual tides destroy Saint Martin's jetty “The Naf river is facing a navigability problem due to the emergence of multiple chars at the confluence of the river and Myanmar’s Naikkhongdiya area. In recent times, the media has published news of tourist ships getting stuck in these chars for hours,” said Erfanul. Also, a total of seven timber-laden trawlers coming to the Teknaf Land Port from Myanmar capsized in the Naf river after colliding with these chars, he said.  “That’s why the government has advised the ship owners to search for alternative routes,” he said.

Fisherman caught a giant boal fish (helicopter catfish) weighing 140 kg from the Saint Martin's Island in Teknaf upazila on Saturday. On Saturday morning, Abdur Rashid went to the island to catch fish and netted the huge boal fish from Dailpara point area, said Teknaf upazila Fisheries Officer Delwar Hossain. Syed Alam, a local businessman and general secretary of the service trawler on the Teknaf-Saint Martin waterway, bought the fish for Tk 1.4 lakh. Buyer Syed Alam said, "I bought the big boal of fish as a part of my hobby." However, the fish is planned to be sold in the local market at Tk 1,000 per kg. Meanwhile, locals from different parts of the upazila thronged the island to have a look at the rare-size fish.

Tourist ship operations to Saint Martin's Island from Saint Martin's jetty in Cox's Bazaar have been suspended for carrying out repairs. The jetty in Saint Martin's sustained severe structural damage due to Cyclone Yaas that made landfall in Bangladesh and eastern India in May this year. The local administration on Monday took the decision of suspending tourist ship operations from Saint Martin's jetty, considering the safety of the tourists. Also read: Cyclone Yaas: Unusual tides destroy Saint Martin's jetty

The residents of Saint Martin's island located in the southernmost part of Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal are deprived of basic citizen rights due to the negligence of the government in providing them with meaningful access to basic necessities, they allege.

Around 400 tourists are stranded on Saint Martin's Island, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Bangladesh, due to inclement weather.