The tourism sector businesses of Saint Martin Island have demanded extension of permission for tourists' travel and night spending on the island until February.

They under the banner of ‘Saint Martin's Island Environment and Tourism Protection-Development Alliance' made the demand at a press conference organised at the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) auditorium at Paltan on Thursday.

They said although tourists have been able to visit the island since December, many are facing various obstacles with travel passes.

The month of Ramadan will begin in March and so February is the best time to travel before that.

If tourists are barred this time, the businesses will suffer huge losses, they said.

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Chairman of the Saint Martin Island Environment and Tourism Protection Development Alliance, Shiblul Azam Qureshi, said, "Despite strong objections from students, local people, daily wage earners, fishermen, young entrepreneurs, tourism businessmen, transport businessmen, hotel and resort owners, the government has taken the suicidal decision to ban travel to Saint Martin and limit overnight stays and tourist travel.”

As a result, thousands of people have already become unemployed, he said..

“Residents are worried about their lives and livelihoods. There is financial crisis and job shortage on the island in other seasons.”

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Habibur Rahman, General Secretary of the Saint Martin's Island Environment and Tourism Protection Alliance, said that tourists used to visit the island every year from October 1 to March 31.

 “But no tourists could go to Saint Martin last November due to not getting permission to stay at the right time. Although ships were allowed to sail from December 1, a sufficient number of tourists could not go to St. Martin due to the hassle of collecting travel passes. Due to this, the residents of the island, who are 100 percent dependent on tourism, and the tourism businesses are on the verge of end, the residents of St. Martin can't live for 12 months with 2 months' income,” he claimed.

St. Martin cruise ship owners, Atlantic Ship Managing Director Nazrul Islam, owner of Tilottama Eco Resort and local environmentalist Javed Rahman, representative of Carey Sindabad Ship Sarwar Hossain, among others, spoke in the press conference.