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Saint Martin Travel Rules

Review entry passes, environmental rules, and current visitor requirements.

Current Travel Rules

Violations of these regulations attract administrative fines and legal prosecution under Bangladesh Wildlife & Environmental Acts.

Authority: Ministry of Environment & Cox's Bazar District AdministrationVerified: 2026-09-15

Mandatory Tourist Travel Registration & Pass

All prospective travelers must register through official digital apps/port counters and obtain a verified travel pass before purchasing ship tickets or boarding vessels.

Mandatory Enforcements:
  • Original National ID (NID), Passport, or Birth Registration Certificate must be shown during boarding verification.
  • Daily tourist capacity caps may be enforced during peak seasonal months (e.g. max 2,000 visitors/day) to prevent ecological collapse.
  • Unregistered passengers without an official clearance barcode are denied boarding at Nunirchhara Ghat.
Why this is strictly enforced: Saint Martin is an Ecologically Critical Area (ECA). Uncontrolled crowds strain the island's fragile freshwater table, sewage systems, and coastal reefs.
Legal Source Reference: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Circular
Authority: Department of Environment (DoE)Verified: 2026-09-15

Zero Single-Use Plastic & Polythene Directive

Carrying single-use thin polythene bags, disposable plastic plates, cups, and non-biodegradable packaging to Saint Martin is strictly prohibited.

Mandatory Enforcements:
  • Luggage screening checkpoints are operated by Coast Guard and BIWTA personnel at the boarding ghat.
  • Visitors are urged to carry personal refillable aluminum or steel water bottles and reusable cloth tote bags.
  • Littering plastic bottles or wrappers on beaches attracts fines under environmental protection statutes.
Why this is strictly enforced: Discarded plastics choke the surrounding coral reefs, kill marine organisms, and trap endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles that nest on the sandy beaches.
Legal Source Reference: DoE Environmental Preservation Gazette
Authority: Cabinet Division & Tourism Inter-Ministerial CommitteeVerified: 2026-09-15

Overnight Stay Permissibility & Seasonal Quotas

Overnight stays are regulated and permitted only during designated winter months with advance registered hotel bookings.

Mandatory Enforcements:
  • In designated trial or shoulder months (e.g., November / February), vessels may operate exclusively for day-trips with zero permitted tourist night stays.
  • When night stays are authorized (typically December and January), travelers must provide confirmed hotel booking vouchers to board overnight return vessels.
  • Wild beach camping, pitching personal tents on public dunes, and outdoor bonfires without municipal authorization are strictly prohibited.
Why this is strictly enforced: Groundwater aquifers on the island are limited and become saline when over-extracted by heavy overnight resort demand.
Legal Source Reference: Government Joint Taskforce Notification
Authority: Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation and Security) ActVerified: 2026-09-15

Complete Ban on Live and Dead Coral Extraction

Buying, selling, possessing, collecting, or transporting live or dead corals, mollusk shells, starfish, or marine rocks is a criminal offense.

Mandatory Enforcements:
  • Baggage X-ray scans and manual checks are conducted before boarding return ships at the Saint Martin Jetty.
  • Local souvenir shops are barred from stocking or selling genuine dead corals.
  • Violators face confiscation of items, administrative penalties, and formal legal action.
Why this is strictly enforced: Saint Martin is Bangladesh's only coral-bearing marine ecosystem. Corals take decades to form and protect the island from severe cyclones and coastal erosion.
Legal Source Reference: Wildlife Conservation Act Enforcement Guideline
Authority: Coast Guard & Inland Marine Safety AuthorityVerified: 2026-09-15

Motorized Boat Restrictions to Chhera Dwip

Diesel engine trawlers, mechanized speedboats, and motorized tourist crafts are barred from anchoring or operating close to the coral shallows of Chhera Dwip.

Mandatory Enforcements:
  • Tourists must access Chhera Dwip by foot during low tide or via authorized non-motorized traditional country boats.
  • Engine oil discharges and propeller damage to fragile shallow reef beds are strictly monitored by naval patrols.
Why this is strictly enforced: Motor engine oil leaks and anchor scraping cause fatal bleaching and destruction of shallow coral heads.
Legal Source Reference: BIWTA Maritime Safety Order

How to Obtain Your Government Travel Pass

1. Online Registration Portal: Before booking your ship ticket, verify if the government travel pass app/portal is required for the scheduled voyage date.

2. Operator Integration: Authorized vessel ticketing counters (such as Karnafuly Express) coordinate passenger passenger manifests with local administration to ensure each passenger is counted within the approved daily quota.

3. Identity Matching: The name and NID/Passport submitted must match your physical government photo ID card shown at Nunirchhara Ghat.

Heads up

Regulatory directives (such as overnight permission vs. day-trip trial periods) are enacted by official government gazette. The guidelines listed below represent the active verified framework.

Source: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Circular

Explore Further:

FAQ on Travel RestrictionsAuthorized Vessel TicketingCompliant 1-Day & 2-Day Plans