Wednesday | 15 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
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Wednesday | 15 January 2025 | Epaper

TOAB threatens agitation if tourists barred from staying overnight at St Martin

Published : Monday, 28 October, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 402
Business Correspondent
Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) President Mohammad Rafeuzzaman said a greater movement would be launched to save the industry if tourists are barred from visiting and staying overnight in Saint Martin Island.

He said so while addressing a press conference organized by the St. Martin's Island Environment and Tourism Protection and Development Alliance at the auditorium of the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) in the capital on Sunday.

Local leaders of St Martin including St Martin's Island Environment and Tourism Protection and Development Alliance Chairman Shiblul Azam Qureshi, HR Group Chairman and Alliance Publicity Secretary Habibur Rahman and E-Tourism Association of Bangladesh (E-TAB) President Imranul Alam, among others spoke at the press conference.

TOAB President Rafeuzzaman said: "Despite our strong objections, the government has decided to limit overnight stays and tourist travel in St. Martin. The government has barred tourists from staying overnight in the Island in the tourists season from November to January, when only 2,000 tourists can visit the Island in these months.

The visit to the island, according to the government decision, will remain closed in the month of February. Earlier tourists could visit the island from November to February, and  in the rest of the year visit to the island is not possible due to rough seas.

Rafeuzzaman said if visit to the island remain stopped in these months the tourism industry will be greatly affected and the sector entrepreneurs will lose business.

The press conference noted that about 10,000 people live in Saint Martin. All of them depend on tourism. All of them will be out of a job if tourism is restricted or stopped in St. Martin. Along with that, financial investment of entrepreneurs will be at serious risk. As a result, he protested such decision of the government and demanded immediate withdrawal of this decision.

Shiblul Azam Qureshi, Chairman of St. Martin's Island Environment and Tourism Protection and Development Alliance, said in the press conference, to maintain the balance of the environment in St. Martin's island, to strictly stop the use of single-use plastic and to continue tourism without any restrictions, including overnight stays, and to create an alternative route to travel from Teknaf to St. Martin. 

"We want to protect the environment and biodiversity of St. Martin, but not by stopping tourism. Instead, it takes all the necessary steps in favor of the environment," He added.

He also demanded that tourism development should be ensured by addressing the adverse effects and preserving the environment of Saint Martin Island. A water treatment plant can be set up on the island to turn the salt water into fresh water.

Decomposable waste should be converted into biogas through treatment. 

The use of generators should be stopped on the island and environment-friendly solar plants should be installed and permanent structures should be controlled using bricks, sand, cement and rods, he suggested.

Leading tour operators of the country and stakeholders attended the press conference.



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