Staff Correspondent

 Decisions regarding the duration of the tourism season, daily visitor capacity, and departure points for tourist vessels bound for St Martin's Island will be reviewed, announced Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Abdul Awal Mintoo.

Future policy directives will be finalized after evaluating environmental conservation needs, biodiversity protection, visitor safety, and transport logistics for the island, the minister stated while presiding over an inter-ministerial meeting on tourist access to St Martin's Island at the Ministry's conference room in the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday.

"Tourism activities must be managed without compromising the natural environment and unique ecosystem of St Martin's," Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo emphasized, adding that the island's carrying capacity, waste management infrastructure, fresh water availability, and marine ecological impact will undergo thorough inter-ministerial review.

State Minister for Environment Sheikh Faridul Islam highlighted the necessity of purchasing travel passes and QR-code-enabled tickets through the official Bangladesh Tourism Board portal. He called for strict enforcement of environmental guidelines, including a ban on single-use polythene bags, discouraging single-use plastics, and encouraging tourists to carry reusable water flasks.

The meeting reviewed current restrictions governing the 2026–2027 tourism season established under the October 22, 2025 gazette notification. Under existing rules, tourists are permitted day trips only without overnight stays in November; overnight stays are allowed in December and January with a daily limit capped at an average of 2,000 visitors; and tourist access is completely suspended in February. These provisions will undergo further review before final decisions are announced.

Crucial ecological safeguards will remain strictly in force to protect sea turtles, avian species, and coral reefs. Prohibitions on night lighting, loud noise, barbecue parties along beaches, entering Keya forests, harvesting Keya fruits, and driving motorized vehicles on the beach remain active.

The meeting was attended by State Minister for Environment Sheikh Faridul Islam, MP  for Cox's Bazar-4 Shahjahan Chowdhury, MP  for Dhaka-14 Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, Acting Secretary of the Ministry Dr. Fahmida Khanam, Additional Secretary Mohammad Navid Shafiullah, and Director General of the Department of Shipping Commodore Md. Shafiul Bari, along with  local administrative officials, tourism entrepreneurs, and environmental delegates.