Although tourist ships from Teknaf do not go to the island, ships operate on the Cox’s Bazar-St Martin route. Local sources said a total of 12 ships are now plying on the Cox’s Bazar-St Martin and Chattogram-St Martin routes. On the Teknaf-Saint Martin route, 8–10 ships operated before the ban.
In a joint press conference last October, SCOAB and TOAC called for the resumption of tourist vessel operations on the route. They also went on strike to press the demand for the house. But the government is firm on its stand.
SCOAB President Tofail Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “We can know that the internal conflict in Myanmar has stopped. The ban on tourists coming to Bandarban has been lifted. The navigability problem of the Naf River also no longer exists. So We demand the resumption of tourist ships on the Teknaf-Saint Martin route as soon as possible.
Tophel on Wednesday threatened to launch an agitation if a “positive” decision is not forthcoming from the inter-ministerial meeting.
Asked if the government would allow an alternative route to Sabrang-St Martin, Taufel said, “There is no time to open a new route. We had applied for the new route last October but they did not give permission at that time. Now the tourism season is nearing its end. The opening of the new route would require the construction of a jetty, which would take a long time. Operations on the Teknaf-St Martin route must be resumed immediately in view of our livelihood.
*Reporting was rewritten in English by Ghalib Ashraf