Tourists flock to Cheradia despite restrictions, raising biodiversity concerns

Tourists are prohibited from visiting Cheradia, located at the southern tip of Saint Martin’s Island. Despite the restrictions, however, tourists continue to visit the area every day. Some walk, while others travel by easy-bikes (locally known as tomtoms), motorcycles or bicycles to the Madhyardia area of the island before proceeding to Cheradia.

As a result of these visits, red crabs, snails and clams living on the island’s sandy beaches are being crushed underfoot and by vehicles. Coral, algae and various other forms of biodiversity are also being damaged.

Although volunteers from the Department of Environment are working to regulate tourist movement, their limited numbers have made it increasingly difficult for them to manage the situation.

After travelling approximately 120 kilometres by sea from Cox’s Bazar town, tourist vessels arrive at the jetty of Saint Martin’s Island. As passengers disembark and step onto the jetty, they hear warnings broadcast by the Department of Environment over loudspeakers.

The announcement says: “Saint Martin’s Island is an ecologically critical area. Collecting coral, algae, snails, shells and stones is strictly prohibited. Visiting the ecologically vulnerable Cheradia is prohibited. Making loud noises on the beach and littering with plastic are also prohibited.

Please do not gather for late-night outings, as this may disturb sea turtles laying their eggs. Do not enter the keya forests or pluck their fruits. Do not drive easy-bikes or tomtoms onto the sandy beach. Do not dispose of plastic or other waste indiscriminately. And do not enter the water if you cannot swim.”

Saint Martin’s is a coral-rich island covering an area of approximately eight square kilometres in the Bay of Bengal. In 1999, the government declared the entire island an Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) to protect its biodiversity, marine corals and turtle breeding grounds.

Under the Environment Conservation Act, 1995, activities that damage the environment are prohibited in this area. Most recently, in January 2023, the Ministry of Environment declared a 1,743-square-kilometre area of the Bay of Bengal surrounding Saint Martin’s a Marine Protected Area.

Under the law, collecting coral and stones, destroying keya forests, cutting trees and plucking fruits, and dumping environmentally harmful waste are prohibited on Saint Martin’s Island. Violations can carry a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to Tk 1 million.

The government has decided to keep Saint Martin’s Island open to tourists from 1 November to 15 March. During this period, a maximum of 3,500 tourists will be allowed to visit the island and stay overnight each day. However, tourist vessels began operating on 5 November. Currently, an average of 2,000 tourists travel to and from the island daily on three vessels.

The government has issued 12-point guidelines for tourists, imposing various restrictions to protect the island’s biodiversity. However, concerns have emerged over the environment and ecosystem because these guidelines are not being properly enforced on the ground.

A recent visit to the island revealed that many tourists head straight to hotels and resorts after disembarking from their vessels. Some travel by easy-bikes or tomtoms to the western beach, while others have lunch at restaurants before exploring the eastern and northern beaches.

In the morning, some tourists staying overnight at hotels and resorts set off for Diyar Matha Beach in the southern part of the island on easy-bikes, rented motorcycles and bicycles. From there, some walk to Cheradia via Madhyardia, while others make the journey by tomtom, motorcycle or bicycle.

During a visit to Diyar Matha Beach last Thursday morning, four volunteers from the Department of Environment were found stationed there, urging tourists not to proceed to Cheradia. Red flags had also been put up along a stretch of approximately half a kilometre of the beach. However, many tourists were ignoring these instructions.

Abdul Aziz further said that 10 volunteers from the Department of Environment were working to protect biodiversity and regulate tourist movement. Of them, four were stationed at the jetty, four at Diyar Matha and two at the island’s eastern beach. However, it was not possible to manage such a large number of tourists with such a small workforce.

Khandaker Mahmud Pasha, deputy director of the Department of Environment in Cox’s Bazar, told Prothom Alo that tourists head towards Cheradia as soon as they disembark on Saint Martin’s Island. When stopped, many behave aggressively. Some tourists conceal snails and shells inside plastic bottles and carry them away. Such items are being recovered every day. However, fines cannot be imposed at present. Discussions have been held with the deputy commissioner and Coast Guard officials on various issues, including appointing magistrates to conduct mobile court operations.

Khandaker Mahmud Pasha said they were also concerned about tourists’ reckless behaviour and harmful activities. Some owners of resorts and cottages on the island dump garbage and waste directly into the sea instead of storing it properly. They have been given verbal warnings, and written undertakings have also been obtained from several of them. However, attempts to stop easy-bikes from operating have faced resistance. 

According to the Department of Environment, more than 230 hotels, resorts and cottages have been built in different parts of the island without environmental clearance. Loud generator noise can be heard at these establishments until late at night. Artificial lighting at night is also feared to disrupt the breeding activities of sea turtles that come ashore to lay their eggs.

According to the department, the island is home to 1,076 species of biodiversity, including corals, algae, turtles, snails, shells, marine fish, birds and crabs. However, the movement of more than 100 battery-powered easy-bikes and motorcycles has increased across different parts of the island. Red crabs, snails and shells on the sandy beaches are being crushed and killed under the wheels of these vehicles.

12 guidelines being ignored

After 5 August 2024, the interim government restricted tourist access to Saint Martin’s Island. At the time, tourists were allowed to stay overnight in January and February, but in November they had to visit and return on the same day. A maximum of 2,000 tourists were permitted to visit the island.

Over the past two tourist seasons, 237,000 people visited Saint Martin’s—less than half the number recorded previously. Environmental activists claimed that the decline in tourist numbers had brought positive changes to the island’s environment.

After tourist access remained suspended for nine consecutive months, the government allowed up to 3,500 tourists a day to visit and stay overnight during the current season, from 1 November to 15 March. However, with the increase in tourist numbers, reckless movement and inadequate monitoring have made it increasingly difficult to enforce the government’s guidelines.

Ibrahim Khalil, chief executive of the Cox’s Bazar chapter of the environmental organisation Youth Environment Society (YES), said the nine-month suspension of tourist visits had brought significant improvements to Saint Martin’s environment and ecosystem.

He warned that the growing influx of tourists and the failure to properly enforce restrictions could destroy the mangrove forests, keya forests, coral and algae that had regenerated over the past two tourist seasons.

Former Saint Martin’s Union Parishad chairmen Nur Ahmed and Mujibur Rahman said keya forests and coconut trees act as natural barriers protecting the island from storms and tidal surges. Their survival is now under threat. The destruction of keya forests has caused beach dunes to collapse and coconut trees to be uprooted.

Hossain Islam, general secretary of the Sea Cruise Operators Owners Association of Bangladesh, an organisation of tourist vessel owners operating on the Saint Martin’s route, said tourists are reminded to follow the government’s 12-point guidelines when boarding and disembarking from vessels.

However, he said restrictions also need to be strictly enforced on Saint Martin’s Island itself.

The government’s 12-point guidelines include several restrictions aimed at protecting the island’s environment and biodiversity. Lighting fires or using lights on the beach at night, making excessive noise and organising barbecue parties are prohibited.

Visitors are not allowed to enter keya forests, collect or trade keya fruits, or harm any form of biodiversity, including sea turtles, birds, corals, king crabs, snails and shells. Motorcycles, beach bikes and all other motorised vehicles are prohibited from operating on the beach. Travel to Cheradia is also prohibited.

In addition, carrying polythene bags is not allowed. The use of single-use plastic products is discouraged, including packets of chips, plastic spoons, straws, miniature soap and shampoo packets, and plastic bottles with capacities of 500 millilitres and one litre.

Commenting on the overall situation, Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md. Ab. Mannan said the administration was taking a firm stance on enforcing the government’s 12 directives to protect Saint Martin’s biodiversity. The movement of tourists was being monitored regularly. Legal and administrative measures were also being taken to ensure that no tourists could enter Cheradia