Home ›› 11 Jan 2023 ›› Front
The government will take the decision today as to whether it will allow tourist ship voyages on the Teknaf-St Martin’s Island route or not during this tourist season even though three months of the season have already elapsed.
People involved in tourism business have been waiting for the decision for months even after staging several protest programmes to press home their demand for the resumption of vessel service on the route.
Inhabitants and businesspeople at St Martin’s Island said that they have been losing financially and fearing a tough time ahead as they largely depend on earnings from tourism during the season.
Tourists are also waiting for the service to resume. Currently, some tourists take speedboats or trawlers to go to the island, but the journey is risky, especially with their family members. Three luxurious ships are, however, now sailing from Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram to the island but the journey is costly and time-consuming, tour operators said.
Tour operators and island’s businesspeople have threatened to go for tough movement if the government does not take the decision on the resumption of tourist vessel service at an inter-ministerial meeting slated for Wednesday.
Earlier, the government authorities cited two reasons behind their decision about not to allow the vessels this year--lack of navigability in the Naf River and tensions on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border as the Myanmar military and Arakan Army fought in the Myanmar territory.
Sources said the intelligence agencies have informed the government that tourist ship operation along the Myanmar border in the Naf River could be dangerous as it could put the passengers’ life at risk.
In September last year, Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Md. Mokammel Hossain at a seminar in Cox’s Bazar announced the suspension, citing lack of navigability and emergence of numerous shoals in the river. He said that the route would remain closed until further notice.
Following several protests staged by the tourism stakeholders, the Ministry of Shipping announced its plan to hold a meeting with them on January 3 this year. Later, the meeting was deferred to January 11. The ministry will hold today’s meeting where the civil aviation and tourism secretary will co-chair.
Asked if the government is now positive about taking decision on allowing ship service, Shipping Secretary Md. Mostafa Kamal said that it cannot be said before holding the meeting and talking with all concerned.
Answering a question to whether the government made any assessment on navigation problems before suspending ship service he said, “The embargo was imposed by the tourism ministry. We were asked to inform them about the navigability issues. We will do that tomorrow [Wednesday].”
He also said that a writ petition has been filed recently with the High Court by a ship owner. This issue will also come up at the meeting for discussion.
Tourism Secretary Md. Mokammel Hossain could not be reached over phone for his comments in this regard.
Every year nearly ten ships operate on the route carrying hundreds of tourists to St Martin’s Island, the only coral island in Bangladesh, which has been an attractive tourist destination over the years. Usually, this island is accessible for tourists from October to March when the Bay of Bengal remains calm.
Due to suspension of ship service from Teknaf, a smaller number of tourists can visit there due to high cost and journey hassle.
The three luxurious ships which are being operated from Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram charge high fare compared to the ships plying the Teknaf-St Martin’s route. Besides, this sea journey takes more than six hours. Moreover, the passengers have been facing hassles as voyages are taking more time than scheduled on the route.
There have been incidents of engine failure of ships in the mid-sea causing immense sufferings to hundreds of passengers.
Shiblul Azam Koreshi, president of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh, said they have been trying to convince the government to reopen the Teknaf-St Martin’s Island route immediately.
He claimed that the government’s move for suspension of vessel service is questionable for some reasons. “If there is navigability crisis in the Naf River, then how can ships carrying imported goods from Myanmar to Teknaf land port come and go? In addition, in case of navigability crisis, tourist vessels’ voyage to the island could continue through Sabrang Point on the west coast of Teknaf.”
Recently, two ships have conducted pilot cruises on the Teknaf- St Martin’s route and did not find any navigability problem, he added.
About the tension on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border he said, “Myanmar military and Arakan Army fought in Myanmar territory just opposite the border in the Gumdhum area in Naikhangchhari of Bandarban, but not here in Teknaf.”
He also claimed that the suspension decision may have benefited the shipping company which is operating between Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram. “Their ships have approval to sail in the deep sea. Ours ones are coastal class certified. So, when we had applied to ply from Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram, the authority declined permission.”
Shiblul Azam Koreshi said that four ships have applied to the government for getting route permits from Teknaf to St Martin’s a few days back. Two more ships will follow the procedure soon.
Sea Cruise Operator Owners Association of Bangladesh’s President Tofail Ahmed said he had filed the writ petition with the High Court last month, seeking directives to allow his two ships MV Parijat and MV Rajhangsho to ply on the route. The court passed an order allowing them.
Meanwhile, three other ships--Keari Sindbad, Sukanta Babu and Atlantic Cruise--got a voyage licence from the government. But they are yet to get a cruise timetable, he said.
Island residents struggling to survive
Leaders of local businesses in the island including resorts, hotels and restaurants, auto-rickshaws and local shops, who heavily depend on tourism business, said the government decision has already ruined their earnings this year.
In November last year, they staged protest programmes including human chains on the island. They said 90 per cent of people on the small island depend on tourism. They have to spend the rest of the time with the income they get from tourism business only for four months in a year.
Their incomes dropped as tourists are now limited to the island. If this situation continues, they will have to go through a difficult time.
Abdur Rahman, president of St Martin’s Hotel-Resort Owners Association, claimed that there was a conspiracy to stop the ship from Teknaf. A cruise business owner is trying to monopolise their business on the pretext of a shipping crisis by operating ships from Cox’s Bazar only.
Chairman of St Martin’s Island Union Parishad (UP) Mujibur Rahman said due to ship movement ban, the employees of ten ships, hundreds of speedboats, wooden trawlers and shopkeepers of Teknaf become jobless.
“More than a thousand shops remain closed in various areas including Teknaf’s Damdamiya Jetty, Shahpori Island, St Martin’s Island Jetty due to the suspension,” he said.
On Tuesday, they organised a press conference in Cox’s Bazar to press home their demands. “We are now waiting for the government’s decision,” said Md. Habibur Rahman, a former member of St Martin’s Union Parishad.
He said that the stakeholders may stage protest programmes if their demands are not met soon.
