Tourism on St Martin's to remain closed for 9 months from 1 Feb

Tourist visits to St Martin’s Island in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar will remain suspended for the next nine months, starting 1 February, to protect the environment of the country’s only coral island.

According to the decision of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, tourism activities for the current season, which reopened on 1 November last year, will end on 31 January.

Travel in November was limited to daytime only, while overnight stays were allowed in December and January.

A maximum of 2,000 tourists were allowed to visit the island per day, in accordance with government guidelines.

Additional District Magistrate Imran Hossain said that no ships carrying tourists will be allowed to operate from Sunday (1 February) onwards.

Necessary measures will be taken if the government decides to revise the island’s tourism schedule in the future, he added.