Ten organizations, including the Tour Operators Owners Association of Cox's Bazar, have warned of movement if tourist vessels are not allowed to ply on the Teknaf-Saint Martin sea route.
The announcement was made in a press conference at a Star hotel at Labani Point in Cox's Bazar on Tuesday afternoon.
It was claimed in the press conference that since the beginning of the current tourist season, the Teknaf-Saint Martin sea route has not allowed for tourist vessels to ply, showing the reason for the navigability crisis.
Because of this, the livelihood of 5,00,000 people who provide travel services to Cox's Bazar and Saint Martin is now under threat.
In the press conference, it was said that for several years various types of misinformation have been spread about Saint Martin. A vested quarter is creating obstacles in the tourism industry by talking about the environment.
However, 1,60,500 tourists visited Saint Martin from November to March in 2019. That is, an average of 1,063 people visited Saint Martin every day during the 151-day tourist season.
In the press conference, it was said that tourist ships are suspended on the Teknaf-Saint Martin sea route from the beginning of the current tourist season. But freight to Myanmar continues.
If there is navigability crisis, how would the ships of Myanmar come with the goods?, asked the tourist leaders
Currently two ships are anchored at Damdamiya Ghat in Teknaf which arrived at Damdamiya Jetty in low tide on this route from Saint Martin 3-4 days ago. It wouldn't have happened if there was a crisis of navigability.
“We demand to resume tourist ship operations on this sea route for the sake of our livelihood,” said the leaders.
The tourist vessels remain suspended on the route for over three months due to navigability crisis and unrest along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.