The movement of ships on the Saint Martin’s route has been halted in anticipation of a decline in tourist numbers during Ramadan.
Two ships, MV Baro Aulia and Karnaphuli Express, operating on the Cox's Bazar-Saint Martin’s route, will cease operations from Monday.
Nurul Alam, the administrator of Karnaphuli Cruise Line, said that the suspension is due to the completion of Inani jetty installation, concerns about April weather, and the nor’wester.
The decision is considered a seasonal closure, with the expectation of resuming tourist ship operations from Cox's Bazar to Saint Martin’s in the next tourist season starting in September.
The Cox's Bazar district administration has not issued specific instructions, leaving ship owners to decide based on tourist traffic considerations.
Additionally, on February 9, the movement of tourist ships on the Teknaf-Saint Martin waterway was halted due to ongoing conflicts in villages near the Bangladesh border.