Cox’s Bazar Correspondent
Saint Martin’s Island will welcome tourists from November 1, 2026, to March 15, 2027, extending the travel season by 15 days. The daily tourist limit has been raised to 3,500, with each visitor required to pay a Tk 100 environmental conservation fee.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change announced the decisions in a letter issued on Sunday (October 25), following an inter-ministerial meeting on October 12.
Tourist vessels will operate from Nuniachhara jetty, subject to prescribed rules and permissions. All other conditions in the ministry’s directive issued on October 22, 2025, will remain in force.
Tourists must have online registration or a QR code-based travel pass when purchasing vessel tickets. Overnight stays will be prohibited in November but allowed from December. Single-use plastics, loud music, nighttime lighting on the beach, barbecues and motor vehicles are prohibited. Tourist access to Chera Dwip remains restricted to protect the environment.
The Department of Environment has been directed to collect the Tk 100 fee under Rule 26 of the Ecosystem Management Rules, 2016.
However, a relevant section of the Cox’s Bazar district administration confirmed that the latest letter had not yet reached its office. #EK