Tourists will have to pay an environmental protection fee to visit St. Martin
On July 12, 2025, a meeting about St. Martin’s management plan took place at the Department of Environment in Bangladesh. Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, was the chief guest. Syeda Rizwana Hasan said,
“We have many small and large islands in Bangladesh. But there is no other island with natural features like St. Martin. A comprehensive plan is being implemented to protect St. Martin’s ecosystem and biodiversity, which includes the country’s only coral reef.
A three-year project is underway to train islanders for alternative employment, aiming to protect the island’s ecosystem. The project will start work from next August.
The government will provide alternative employment by developing the skills of local islanders who depend on tourism through training. In addition, an Environment Conservation Fee will be levied on tourists to protect the island’s environment.
The meeting resolved to implement an environmental conservation fee for tourists. The local union council will be responsible for collecting this fee. The money collected will be used to preserve the island’s environment. However, the amount of fee to be levied on tourists has not yet been determined.
Rizwana Hasan announced that an initial list has identified 500 families in St. Martin. They will be given training in raising poultry in their backyards, making chips, and agricultural matters as needed.
The Ministry of Agriculture has already decided to appoint two agricultural officers in St. Martin. The Department of Fisheries will boost support for fishermen in St. Martin during the fishing ban.
The environmental advisor said that single-use plastic will not be allowed to enter St. Martin from next October. Arrangements will be made to inform the companies concerned about this. Companies will also have to come up with alternatives to plastic during this period.
AKM Rafiqul Islam, Director of the Natural Resources Management Department, announced that a new employment project will be launched with a budget of seven crore taka.
Rafiqul Islam said that there are 10,000 residents in St. Martin. All the residents will benefit from this project. The decision to appoint environmental guards was taken to protect the island’s environment.
Due to the pressure of tourism, agricultural land and agricultural production have decreased in St. Martin. Local crops will be chosen based on land type, and agricultural support will be given. Climate-tolerant rice cultivation will also be introduced.
He said that, in addition, the project will provide drinking water and improve waste management. equation here. Seaweed will be planted in selected areas along the beach to restore biodiversity and create a key forest.
An environmental management plan for St. Martin was presented by the Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS). The plan divides St. Martin into 4 zones.
Zone-1 has been designated as a ‘multiple use zone’, where environmentally friendly infrastructure will be allowed. Zone-2 has been proposed to be established as a ‘buffer zone’ to protect sensitive areas south of St. Martin.
Biodiversity will be protected in Zone-3. But here, locals will be able to extract natural resources, subject to conditions. Zone-4 will be dedicated to the unwavering preservation of nature. All types of entry and activities will be prohibited here.
CEGIS senior researcher HM Nurul Islam said that biodiversity has decreased in St. Martin due to hotels, motels, and resorts. In these places, exotic species of plants and trees have also increased. Measures will be taken to prevent the spread of these exotic species of plants.
Nurul Islam said that to meet the demand of tourists, so many lobsters have been caught from the sea that now the sea area around St. Martin has lost lobsters. He also said that corals are being damaged by boats and ship anch
