Tourists allowed to stay overnight on St Martin’s until March 15

Tourists will be allowed to stay overnight on Saint Martin’s Island from November 1 to March 15, following a revision to an earlier government decision that had created confusion over overnight stays during certain months.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change revised the decision on October 27, allowing overnight stays throughout the five-month tourism season.

Sabrina Rahman, senior assistant secretary at the ministry, told that the confusion over overnight stays in November and February-March had been resolved, and tourists would be allowed to stay on the island throughout the period.

An inter-ministerial meeting on tourist access to the island was held at the ministry on October 12. On October 25, the ministry issued instructions to the relevant ministries and departments to implement the meeting’s decisions, retaining provisions from a notification issued on October 22, 2025.

Under that notification, tourists could visit the island only during the day in November and had to return on the same day. Overnight stays were permitted only in December and January. The earlier instructions led tourists, hotel and restaurant operators, and ship owners to believe that the previous restrictions on overnight stays would remain in force this season, despite the extended travel period.

Tourist vessels will continue to depart for the island from the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) jetty at Nuniachhara in Cox’s Bazar city.

The daily limit on tourist arrivals has been increased to 3,500. Each visitor will have to pay a Tk 100 environmental conservation fee.

Tourists will also need a travel pass to visit the island. A Bangladesh Tourism Board official told on October 25 that preparations were underway to introduce the travel pass system again this season.

Several restrictions introduced last year to protect the island’s environment and biodiversity will also remain in place. These include a ban on lighting up beaches and adjacent areas at night, making noise and organising barbecue parties.

Entering screw pine forests or collecting, buying or selling screw pine fruit is prohibited. Visitors are also barred from harming marine turtles, birds, coral, snails, shells, starfish, horseshoe crabs, seagrass, algae and other elements of the island’s biodiversity.

Motorcycles and sea bikes are prohibited on the beach.