Cox's Bazar, October 26, 2026 (V7N) – The government said Monday the ban on tourism in Saint Martin's would be lifted for four months from November 1, allowing as many as 3,500 people to visit the coral island daily due to environmental considerations.
According to an official statement, an inter-ministerial meeting decided to allow controlled tourism at the scenic spot in the Bay of Bengal, imposing an environmental conservation fee of Tk 100 per person.
The meeting made it compulsory to secure the ministry's approval for Saint Martin's-bound vessels. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and the Department of Shipping alone would not permit vessel movements to Saint Martin's, while approved tourist ships would operate from the designated Nuniarchhara Ghat.
The meeting directed the Department of Environment (DOE) to take the required steps regarding the conservation fee in line with the concerned law.
The directive asked the ministries of civil aviation and tourism, shipping, the DOE, the Cox's Bazar district administration and other relevant agencies to take necessary measures to implement the decision.
Tourism was banned on the island, situated near the country's northeastern coastlines, during the past interim government.
The decision marks a shift toward regulated tourism on the environmentally sensitive coral island, with authorities aiming to balance visitor access against conservation needs. The four-month window is expected to test whether the daily cap and conservation fee can protect the island's ecosystem while supporting the local tourism economy.
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