Tourist travel to Saint Martin's Island, the country's only coral island in the Bay of Bengal, has been closed for nine months from Sunday (February 1) following the end of the tourism season on January 31.
Although Saint Martin was opened to tourists for three months from November to January, tourist arrivals were largely limited to December and January as overnight stays were not permitted in November.
Hossainul Islam Bahadur, general secretary of the Sea Cruise Operator Owners Association of Bangladesh, said around 117,000 tourists visited Saint Martin during the two-month period.
Residents of Saint Martin said at least 3,000 tourists, hotel and motel employees and businessmen left the island on six ships and a few wooden trawlers on Saturday afternoon.
Though tourists are usually allowed to visit Saint Martins from October 1 to March 31 each year, the travel period was reduced this year up to January 31 due to environmental risks.
According to the Department of Environment (DoE), the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued a 12-point directive on October 22 last year to protect the island's biodiversity.
Under the guidelines, Saint Martin remains closed from February 1 to October 31 and opens for tourism from November 1 to January 31, with a daily cap of 2,000 visitors. Overnight stays are allowed only in December and January.
The directives prohibit lighting on beaches at night, loud noise, barbecues, entry into the key forest, and the collection or sale of key fruits.
Any harm to biodiversity, including sea turtles, birds, corals, king crabs, snails and oysters, is strictly banned.
