Director General of the Department of Environment. Sultan Ahmed said that only 1,250 tourists can visit St. Martin, the only coral island in the country. “You have to register online and go to St. Martin,” he said. Restrictions may also be imposed on overnight stays to protect the environment in order to preserve St. Martin’s existence. Besides, new action plans are being taken.

He was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on ‘Environmental Management in Cox’s Bazar’ organized by the Department of Environment on Tuesday.

Sultan Ahmed said, ‘From now on you can’t go to St. Martin whenever you want. Those wishing to travel to St.Martin must register online in advance. 1,250 tourists can travel daily. Action plans are being taken to protect St. Martin. The plan calls for a ban on spending the night in St. Maarten.

He added that St. Martin is a great asset to the country. If it is not possible to protect the nature environment, the environment of St. Martin will soon be terrible.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (Human Resource Development) SM Sarwar Kamal presided over the seminar and Cox’s Bazar Development Authority representative Lt. Colonel Anwarul Islam, Additional Superintendent of Police Abedil Islam, Director of the Department of Environment and Rio Project Director Mohammad Ziaul Haque, Joint Director. Ferdous Hossain Khan, Cox’s Bazar Press Club President Mahbubur Rahman, General Secretary Abu Taher and Cox’s Bazar Forest Environment Conservation Council President Journalist Deepak Sharma Dipu.

As the ECA area, St. Martin, Sonadia and the beaches have now become environmentally risky, the seminar said. For this, development work has to be done through master plan. We have to bring back the previous environment. The hotel and motel zone has fallen victim to pollution due to unplanned construction.

Out of 325 hotels, only 48 have got clearance from the Department of Environment. Only six hotels have implemented the Sewage Treatment Plan (STP). Cox’s Bazar generates 50 to 60 tons of solid and liquid waste every day. There is a system of 12 tons of waste treatment plant. But only two tons of waste comes to the laboratory. From this information, it is understood that the tourist city of Cox’s Bazar is in a terrible state of environmental pollution.

According to another information in the seminar, waste is more than water consumption. Hill cutting soil, hatchery waste and hotel motel waste go directly to the sea and river. The salt water of the city has increased due to the occupation of the Bankkhali river.

The seminar said that due to these pollution, the number of tourists visiting Cox’s Bazar will be reduced and it will be uninhabitable for the locals. The time for environmental protection in Cox’s Bazar is not over yet. But it cannot be delayed. We need to take immediate action. For this we have to work in a coordinated initiative.