Govt. To Reconsider Tourist Limits, Overnight Stays On St. Martin's Island: Environment Minister

(MENAFN- Bangladesh Monitor) Dhaka: The government will review tourist visit durations, daily visitor limits, and vessel departure points for Saint Martin's Island ahead of the 2026–27 tourism season, said Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo.

He said future decisions would be based on environmental conservation, biodiversity protection, tourist safety, and the effective management of transportation to and from the island.

The minister made the remarks while chairing an inter-ministerial meeting on tourism management for Saint Martin's Island at the Secretariat in the capital on October 12.

He stressed that tourism must be managed in a way that protects the island's natural environment and marine biodiversity, noting that the government needs to consider the island's carrying capacity, waste management, availability of safe drinking water, and the impact of tourist activities on the marine ecosystem.

Mintoo said the government would further examine tourism management arrangements after receiving the opinions of relevant ministries and agencies.

State Minister for Environment Shaikh Faridul Islam, Cox's Bazar-4 lawmaker Shahjahan Chowdhury, and Dhaka-14 MP Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem attended the meeting.

Faridul Islam stressed the need for tourists to purchase travel passes and QR-coded tickets through web portals recognized by the Bangladesh Tourism Board. He also called for strict compliance with environmental protection guidelines.

He emphasized preventing the use and transportation of banned polythene to the island, discouraging single-use plastics, and encouraging tourists to carry reusable water flasks.

The meeting discussed regulating tourist visits and overnight stays during the 2026–27 tourism season, protecting the island's environment and biodiversity, and ensuring the safety of visitors.

Participants focused particularly on whether the existing tourism timeframe, daily visitor quota, and departure points for tourist vessels should be revised.

Under the existing guidelines, announced in a notification issued on October 22, 2025, tourists visiting Saint Martin's Island in November must return on the same day, with overnight stays prohibited. Overnight stays are permitted in December and January, while the average daily number of tourists is capped at 2,000.

Tourist travel to the island is suspended throughout February under the existing rules.

The government will announce its final decision after reviewing these provisions, according to the meeting.

The proposed review comes as authorities seek to balance tourism activities with the need to protect the country's only coral-bearing island from environmental pressure. Visitor numbers, accommodation, waste disposal, and transport arrangements are among the issues requiring consideration in managing tourism sustainably.

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