Season's first ship reaches St Martin's with 653 tourists

The season's first ship carrying 653 tourists reached Saint Martin's Island on Sunday after nine months' suspension of trip to the island on environmental and safety grounds.

The ship, MV Baro-Aulia, departed from the BIWTA's Nuniachhara Terminal in Cox's Bazar. Tourists completed online registration and collected travel passes to visit the island.

They were required to travel without plastic or polythene products. They dumped their polythene and plastic items in designated waste bins before boarding. As part of an eco-friendly initiative, complimentary cloth bags were provided to the passengers.

Under close supervision by the district administration, travel passes were verified to ensure a smooth and organised journey, said the environment ministry.

Officials from the Tourism Management Committee, tourist police, and the Department of Environment worked together to ensure environmental conservation and regulate tourism operations.

This initiative taken by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change along with departments concerned sets a remarkable example of sustainable tourism, encouraging travellers to adopt more environmentally responsible practices in the future.

Despite the government decision to allow tourist ships to operate on the Teknaf-St. Martin's Island and Cox's Bazar-St. Martin's Island routes from November 1, tourists had not been able to travel to the island due to various complications.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Salahuddin said that tourists will be able to travel to the island until January by adhering to the guidelines set by the environment ministry.

Strict action will be taken if more than 2,000 tourists are taken daily, he said while talking to reporters after monitoring the arrangements of the first journey on the ground.

Although three tourist ships were scheduled for operation, only the MV Baro-Aulia made the trip, as the other two faced a lack of passengers.

There are more than 230 hotels, resorts and cottages on the island to spend the night. However, they are alleged to have been built in violation of environmental laws.

On October 28, the environment ministry issued a circular instructing the officials concerned, including the deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar, to implement the five government decisions to check uncontrolled tourism and single-use plastic pollution on the island.

The directive also states that lighting lights, making loud noise and having barbecue parties on the beach at night are explicitly prohibited.

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