Saint Martin’s Island, Bangladesh’s sole coral-rich destination, is set to reopen to tourists on 1 November.
Under a revised policy, the government has raised the daily visitor cap to 3,500, lifted the ban on overnight stays, and introduced a Tk100 environmental conservation fee for all visitors.
Situated off the coast of Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar, the environmentally sensitive island will remain open to holidaymakers until 15 March 2027.
The extended tourism season forms part of updated regulations aimed at striking a balance between visitor access and ecological preservation, as announced on Sunday following an inter-ministerial review of tourism management for the ecologically critical area.
Under the updated framework, the daily visitor limit rises from the 2,000-cap previously imposed by the interim government to an average maximum of 3,500.
Authorised tourist vessels will continue to operate from North Nuniachhara Ghat in Cox’s Bazar town, with each passenger contributing an additional Tk100 towards conservation efforts.
The reopening plan follows key agreements reached during an inter-ministerial meeting on 12 October, chaired by the Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Abdul Awal Mintoo.
The moves mark a relaxation of previous restrictions, which had sparked widespread protests from islanders and local businesses concerned over their dwindling livelihoods.
The government has outlined a series of strict measures governing tourism and marine transport for the upcoming season.
Tourists may visit Saint Martin’s between 1 November and 15 March, provided the daily average does not exceed 3,500 visitors.
Maritime operators must obtain formal clearance prior to running services, as the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority and the Department of Shipping cannot authorise vessel routes without explicit approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The Department of Environment will collect the Tk100 entry fee pursuant to Rule 26 of the Ecologically Critical Area Management Rules, 2016, while relevant provisions from earlier environmental directives will remain firmly in place, according to Sabrina Rahman, Senior Assistant Secretary at the ministry’s Environment-2 branch.
In October 2024, the former interim government had introduced 12 stringent directives limiting tourist access to safeguard the island’s delicate ecosystem, natural charm, and biodiversity.
Introduced during the tenure of former environment adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the measures placed strict limits on visitor volumes and restricted overnight stays.
However, the regulations met with fierce resistance from island residents and local operators, who warned that the restrictions were crippling the local economy.
Community leaders pointed out that the loss of tourism revenue had inadvertently driven desperate locals towards environmentally harmful practices, such as illegal logging and overfishing.
