Over 300 tourists stranded on St Martin's Island
Over 300 tourists have been stranded in the Saint Martin's Island as the local administration has suspended the movement of all types of water vessels including tourist ships, speed boats and service trawlers in the Teknaf-Saint Martin route.
Meanwhile, local cautionary signal number 3 has been declared due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.
Teknaf upazila nirbahi officer Mohammad Adnan Chowdhury confirmed this to Prothom Alo.
He said rough weather has been prevailing in Cox's Bazar since yesterday afternoon due to low pressure in the Bay influenced by monsoon winds.
Movements of water vessels in the Teknaf-Saint Martin route have been risky due to the turbulent sea.
Movements of all types of water vessels will remain suspended until further notice is issued by the meteorological department.
However, local public representatives and administrations have been instructed to take measures so that stranded tourists don't face any trouble. Steps will be taken to bring back the stranded tourists.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Chattogram regional office deputy director and in-charge of Teknaf Noyon Sheel said a tourist ship 'MV Baro Awlia' was allowed to operate on experimental basis on Teknaf-Saint Martin route from Wednesday.
All ships will be allowed to operate on that route if there is a success of seven days in the operation of MV Baro Awlia.
Meanwhile, permission has been sought from BIWTA for the operation of another ship 'Keari Sindbad'.
A ticket seller of MV Baro Awlia said the ship with 825 tourists set out for Saint Martin's Island from Damdamia jetty ghat on Friday morning.
The ship with about 600 tourists returned in the afternoon, but the remaining tourists stayed to pass the night.
Service Trawler Owners Association Abdur Rashid and Speedboat Owners Association Khorshed Alam said transport of passengers has been suspended due to cautionary signals since Saturday morning. Transport of passengers will be started once the situation becomes normal. Over 300 tourists in speedboats went to Saint Martin's Island on Thursday and Friday. Of them, around 50 tourists are staying on the island.
Saint Martin's beach worker Joynal Abedin said stranded tourists are passing their time at jetty ghat area, bazar and sea beach.
A red flag has been hung in the danger spot of the beach and tourists have been repeatedly asked not to take baths there.
Saint Martin's union parishad chairman Mujibur Rahman said several hundred tourists, who went to Saint Martin's Island on Thursday and Friday, have been stranded in the island. Around 150 residents, who came to Teknaf for family purposes, have been stuck in Teknaf. This situation has been created due to the low pressure in the Bay.