(BSS) - Tourists will be allowed to visit the environmentally critical St Martin’s Island from November 1 to March 15 next year, with the number of visitors limited to an average of 3,500 a day and each tourist required to pay a Tk 100 environmental conservation fee.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued a letter today directing the authorities concerned to implement the decisions.

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

The meeting also took several decisions on conserving the island’s environment and managing tourist movement.

Under the decisions, tourist travel to St Martin’s will remain open from November 1, 2026 to March 15, 2027. Approved passenger vessels will continue to operate from the Nuniarchhara jetty in Cox’s Bazar.

To control the pressure of tourists, a limit of an average maximum of 3,500 visitors a day has been set. Each tourist entering the island will also be charged the Tk 100 environmental conservation fee to protect the biodiversity and natural environment of the island.

The Department of Environment will take necessary measures in line with Rule 26 of the Environment Conservation Rules, 2016, it added.

It also said the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and the Department of Shipping cannot permit any vessel to ply to St Martin’s without approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, the Ministry of Shipping, the Department of Environment, the Cox’s Bazar district administration, Bangladesh Tourism Board, the Superintendent of Police of Cox’s Bazar and Tourist Police have been assigned to implement the decisions on tourist transport and vessel movement.

The ministry’s letter further said the directives in the earlier notification issued on October 22, 2025 will remain in force. As a result, the previous restrictions on environmental conservation will remain effective alongside the new time frame for tourist movement.

The ministry has directed the authorities concerned to take necessary measures through coordinated efforts to implement the decisions.