Saint Martin’s Island, closed to visitors for several months, will reopen to tourists from November 1. From that date, up to 2,000 tourists will be allowed to visit the island daily through an online registration system.
The announcement was made by Nasreen Jahan, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, at a press conference on Thursday (September 25) marking World Tourism Day. She said that environmental conditions on Saint Martin’s Island have improved significantly due to strict regulation of tourist access. “Visitors will see the difference when they go this time,” she added.
At the same press conference, Sheikh Bashir Uddin, Adviser to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, said a new tourism policy is being drafted to protect the country’s tourism industry. The policy is now in its final stage.
Officials explained that a special software system is being developed to manage tourist registrations. Although the software is not yet finalized, preparations are nearly complete, and tourists will soon be able to register online before traveling to the island.
Earlier, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had formed a joint committee to regulate tourist entry and vessel movement to Saint Martin’s. At that time, it was decided that tourists must follow strict guidelines, including mandatory registration. Later, however, the interim government suspended tourist visits to the island for nine months to protect its biodiversity.
During that period, Environment and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan stated that the ban was necessary to conserve the island’s fragile ecosystem. She emphasized that Saint Martin’s should be developed as a community-based tourism destination and warned against misrepresenting conservation efforts.
The nine-month closure had significant impacts on the local tourism industry. Tourist vessels were suspended, leaving jetties deserted and many workers unemployed, causing hardship for those dependent on tourism-related livelihoods.
LND/SAE
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