Tourists will be allowed to visit Saint Martin’s Island from November 1 to March 15, 2027, with the daily number of visitors capped at 3,500 and an environmental conservation fee of 100 taka per person.

The decisions were taken at an inter-ministerial meeting chaired by Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo at the ministry’s conference room on October 12.

According to a directive issued following the meeting, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and the Department of Shipping will not be able to authorise vessels to operate to the island without approval from the environment ministry.

Approved tourist vessels will continue to operate from Nuniachhara Ghat in Cox’s Bazar, the directive said.

The Department of Environment has been instructed to take the necessary measures to collect environmental conservation fees from tourists under Rule 26 of the Ecologically Critical Area Management Rules, 2016.

The directive also states that the Department of Environment will take necessary measures in urgent matters under Rule 6 of the same rules.

Letters outlining the decisions have been sent to the relevant government officials and agencies for implementation.

The recipients include the secretaries of the ministries of Civil Aviation and Tourism and Shipping, the Chattogram divisional commissioner, the director generals of the Department of Environment and the Department of Shipping, and the chairmen of BIWTA and the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation.

The chief executive officer of the Bangladesh Tourism Board and the deputy commissioner of Cox’s Bazar have also been instructed to take the necessary steps to implement the decisions.