The High Court has dismissed a writ petition seeking the withdrawal of restrictions imposed on travel and visits to Saint Martin’s Island to protect the environment.
On Tuesday, the High Court bench comprising Justice Fahmida Kader and Justice Mubbina Asaf passed the order.
Deputy Attorney General Mahfuz Bin Yusuf and Assistant Attorney General Ekramul Kabir represented the state in court.
On October 18, Abdul Malek, a resident of the area, submitted an application to the Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, requesting the withdrawal of restrictions on travel to Saint Martin’s Island.
The application mentioned that in the presence of Environmental Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, it was decided that while tourists would be allowed to visit Saint Martin’s Island during the day in November, they would not be permitted to stay overnight.
Additionally, a daily limit of 2,000 tourists was set, prohibiting activities like light displays and barbecue parties.
The petition argued that these decisions have severely limited the employment opportunities for the residents of Saint Martin’s Island, leaving many jobless and struggling to make ends meet.
It stated that instead of boosting the country's economy through tourism, these restrictions are causing a significant decline in the tourism industry. Therefore, the immediate withdrawal of these restrictions was deemed urgent.
When no action was taken following the application, Abdul Malek filed a writ petition in the High Court.