Shipping embargo on St Martin's route from tomorrow

COX'S BAZAR, Feb 08: The local administration has slapped temporary suspension of the movement of all tourist vessels on the Teknaf-St Martin's route from tomorrow (Saturday).
Yamin Hossain, additional district magistrate of Cox's Bazar, confirmed the information on Thursday afternoon.
The restriction comes amid security concerns over the ongoing conflict between the Myanmar state forces and the Arakan Army across the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.
"For security reasons," he said, "the Teknaf-St Martin's waterway near the border has been temporarily closed from February 10 for all tourist ships."
However, tourist ships will continue to ply from Cox's Bazar to St Martin's and Chattogram to St Martin's.
Tourists can travel directly from Cox's Bazar and Chittagong to St Martin's.
Sources said 10 tourist ships - Keari Sindbad, Keari Cruise & Dine, MV Green Line-1, MV Atlantic, MV Bar Awliya, MV Aparajita, Shaheed Salam, Bay Cruise, MD Kajal and Sukant Babu - ply from Teknaf to St Martin's.
Miner Uddin, a tourist coming to Cox's Bazar, said it was a right decision to stop shipping on the Teknaf-St Martin's route on security grounds.
"Any unusual event may take place due to the conflicting situation in Myanmar. So, I think it's a right decision."
Sabina Akhter, another tourist, said she was supposed to go to the coral island on January 11 by ship on the Teknaf-St Martin's route.
According to Shah Alam, manager of Keari Sindbad in Teknaf, several tourist ships carry sightseers and backpackers from Teknaf to Saint Martin's daily.

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