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Friday | November 06, 2026 | Dhaka

Saint Martin’s welcomes 837 tourists after 9 months

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:02 AM, 06 November 2026  Updated: 11:22 PM, 05 November 2026
Season's first tourist vessel MV Baro Awlia arrives at Saint Martin's Island from Cox's Bazar on Thursday bringing a festive atmosphere to the island.

Saint Martin’s Island, the country’s only coral island, has come alive with tourists again after a nine-month break, as passenger ships resumed operations on the Cox’s Bazar-Saint Martin’s route on Thursday.

A total of 837 tourists reached the island on the first day of the new tourist season aboard the passenger vessel MV Baro Awlia, bringing renewed activity to the island’s beaches, roads and tourism centres.

The vessel departed from the BIWTA jetty at Nuniachhara in Cox’s Bazar around 7:30am, carrying the tourists. After an approximately six-hour journey across the sea, it reached Saint Martin’s jetty at around 1:30pm.

Local residents and tourism-related business owners gathered at the jetty with banners and festoons to welcome the visitors.

Their arrival brought excitement among tourists and relief to island residents who depend on tourism for their livelihoods.Acting Chairman of Saint Martin’s Union Parishad Faizul Islam said more than 800 tourists had arrived on the first vessel of the season.

The visitors were warmly welcomed, and local authorities and residents were working to ensure a proper environment for them.

He also said the use of single-use plastic was being discouraged on the island to protect its environment.

Officials from the Coast Guard, police and Department of Environment were also present at the jetty during the arrival of the tourists.

Mohammad Nahid, a tourist from Dhaka, said he was overwhelmed after setting foot on Saint Martin’s for the first time.

He described the sea journey as enjoyable and said he was happy to visit the island after waiting for a long time.

He also expressed satisfaction with the arrangements for scanning QR codes and checking visitors’ information at the entrance to the island, saying the security and management arrangements impressed him.

The resumption of tourist travel has also brought relief to small business owners, many of whom struggled to maintain their livelihoods during the long suspension of tourism activities.

Hamid Hossain, a local restaurant owner, said he had faced difficulties running his business without tourists.

He reopened his shop on Thursday after visitors started arriving again.

He said the prolonged closure had made it difficult to support his family and that seeing tourists return felt like celebrating Eid.

Local young man Abdur Rahman, who is involved in tourism alongside his studies, said the suspension had created financial difficulties for his family.

He hoped the return of visitors would restore business activities and help local people earn a living again.

Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) SM Anik Chowdhury said preparations had been completed to welcome tourists and ensure smooth management of their visits.

He said authorities were conducting public announcements to make visitors aware of the rules and regulations.

They were also monitoring the situation to prevent tourists from facing harassment.

Hossain Islam Bahadur, general secretary of the Sea Cruise Operators Owners Association of Bangladesh (SCOAB), said the vessel had reached the island safely, bringing relief to residents and tourism businesses.

According to SCOAB, three vessels have received permission to operate on the Saint Martin’s route this season.

They are MV Baro Awlia, MV Karnaphuli and MV Teknaf, with a combined passenger capacity of 2,298.

Under the government decision, Saint Martin’s Island will remain open to tourists from November 1, 2026, to March 15, 2027.

A maximum of 3,500 tourists will be allowed to visit the island daily, while the same number will be permitted to stay overnight.Each visitor must pay Tk 100 as an environmental conservation fee.

A travel pass and a ticket containing a QR code are also mandatory for entering the island.

Several restrictions remain in place to protect the island’s fragile environment and biodiversity. Lighting up beaches and surrounding areas at night, creating excessive noise and organising barbecue parties are prohibited.

Visitors are also prohibited from entering keora forests, collecting or selling keora fruits, and carrying out activities that could damage marine turtles, birds, coral, shells, starfish, horseshoe crabs, seagrass and seaweed.

Authorities have urged tourists to follow the environmental guidelines to protect the island while enjoying their visits.