Night Stay Banned at St Martin’s Island Till Nov 30

St Martin’s Island

The Interim Government has issued new guidelines imposing strict restrictions on tourist travel to Saint Martin’s Island in a bid to protect its fragile ecosystem and biodiversity.

The Environment-2 Wing of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change announced the 12-point directive through a notification on Tuesday.

Issued under Section 13 of the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995 and aligned with the Guidelines for the Protection of Environment, Ecosystem and Biodiversity of Saint Martin’s Island and for Eco-Friendly Tourism, 2023, the new measures are aimed at ensuring responsible and sustainable tourism on the country’s only coral island.

According to the directive, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) must obtain prior approval from the ministry before allowing any vessel to operate to and from the island.

Tourists are required to purchase tickets through the authorised web portal of the Bangladesh Tourism Board. Each ticket will include a Travel Pass and a QR code, and any ticket without the code will be considered invalid.

The circular also limits tourist numbers and regulates visiting hours. During November, visitors will only be allowed daytime access, with night stays strictly prohibited. Overnight stays will be permitted in December and January, while the island will remain completely closed to tourists in February. The daily visitor limit has been set at 2,000.

To protect the island’s ecosystem, the government has banned lighting, loud music, and barbeque parties on beaches at night. Entry into the Keya forest, collection or trade of Keya fruits, and harm to marine life — including turtles, corals, birds, crabs, starfish, and seaweed — are strictly prohibited.

Motorcycles, sea bikes, and other motorised vehicles will not be allowed on the beaches. Tourists have also been advised against carrying polythene or single-use plastics such as chip packets, straws, mini soap or shampoo packs, and plastic bottles. Instead, visitors are encouraged to use personal reusable water flasks.

Officials said these measures are expected to help conserve the island’s delicate marine ecosystem and turn Saint Martin’s into a model of eco-friendly tourism in Bangladesh.

A meeting on implementing eco-friendly tourism on Saint Martin’s Island was held at the ministry on Monday, chaired by Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan.