Saint Martin tourism season begins, but ship service faces uncertainty

The tourism season on Saint Martin's island begins today (1 November), with visitors allowed to travel and stay overnight on the coral island until 15 March, under a revised government directive. A maximum of 3,500 tourists per day will be permitted, each paying a Tk 100 environment protection fee. However, passenger ship services on the Teknaf-Saint Martin route have not started as required administrative clearances are still pending, creating uncertainty among tourists. Separately, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat has pledged policy support for tourism businesses, announcing that Cox's Bazar airport will open as an international airport next month and a three-month carnival in Cox's Bazar will begin in November.