Tourist vessels resumed operations on the Cox’s Bazar–Saint Martin route on Thursday after months of uncertainty and administrative delays, with the first ship of the season, MV Baro Awlia, arriving at St Martin’s Island with 837 tourists.
The vessel reached the island’s jetty at 1:15pm after leaving the BIWTA jetty at Nuniarchhara in Cox’s Bazar at 7:30am. Local residents warmly welcomed the tourists, creating a festive atmosphere after a long break in tourist arrivals.
Fayzul Islam, acting chairman of Saint Martin Union Parishad, confirmed that the vessel arrived with 837 tourists.
Officials from the Cox’s Bazar district administration, Department of Environment (DoE), BIWTA and Coast Guard were deployed at Nuniarchhara jetty to enforce environmental rules. Passengers were not allowed to carry single-use plastic bottles, polythene bags or soundboxes on board.
Khandaker Mahmud Pasha, deputy director of DoE Cox’s Bazar, said tourists must follow the rules to protect the island’s fragile environment and marine life. Visitors are not allowed to enter Keya forests, visit Chheradwip, organise parties or make excessive noise. Activities that could harm marine life are also prohibited.
Pasha said plastic bottles brought by tourists were collected at designated spots, while several soundboxes were seized and handed over to vessel operators.
Mahmudur Rahman Sayem, executive magistrate of the Tourism Cell, said around 837 tickets were sold on the first day. This was roughly one-fourth of the vessel’s total capacity. Officials also informed passengers about the environmental rules they must follow.
Tourists had mixed reactions to the first voyage. Popi Sabrin Jesi was among the first-time visitors. She was travelling as a guide for an officers’ training team and said she was excited to visit the island on the opening day of the season.
Hridoy, a tourist from Dhaka, complained about increased fares, saying the minimum ticket price had risen to Tk4,200 from Tk3,500 despite online booking.
SM Mozammel Hossain, assistant professor at Comilla Government Women’s College, welcomed the conservation measures and urged tourists and stakeholders to act responsibly to protect the island’s environment and biodiversity.
Hossain Islam Bahadur, general secretary of the Sea Cruise Operator Owners Association of Bangladesh (SCOAB), said the first vessel’s departure had ended months of uncertainty.
According to SCOAB, three vessels have been approved for the route this season: MV Bar Aulia, with a capacity of 850 passengers; MV Karnafuli, with 732; and MV Teknaf, with 716. Their combined capacity is 2,298 passengers.
The vessels are scheduled to depart from Nuniarchhara at 7am, 7:15am and 8:15am, respectively, and return from St Martin’s at 2:30pm, 2:15pm and 3:30pm, respectively.
Under government directives, St Martin’s Island is open to tourists from 1 November to 15 March, with a daily limit of 3,500 visitors. Overnight stays are permitted, and each tourist must pay an environmental conservation fee of Tk100. Travel passes and QR-coded tickets are mandatory.
Other restrictions include lighting fires or bright lights on beaches at night, making excessive noise, organising barbecue parties, entering Keya forests and collecting, buying or selling Keya fruit. Harming marine species and biodiversity, including sea turtles, birds, corals, snails, oysters, starfish, horseshoe crabs, seagrass and algae, is also prohibited.
Local residents and tourism business owners expressed optimism that the resumption of vessel operations would revive the island’s economy, while stressing the need for collective efforts to protect its fragile ecosystem.
