Aman Ullah : After a long wait, the movement of tourist ships on the Teknaf-Saint Martin sea route of Cox’s Bazar has started. Yesterday Sunday (December 1) at 10 a.m., the ship named ‘Bar Aulia’ left for St. Martin with about 700 passengers from the BIWTA wharf of Nunyarchhara in Cox’s Bazar. Saint Martin’s Tourist Ship Owners’ Association Hossain Islam, General Secretary of Sea Cruise Operators Owners Association of Bangladesh and director of the ship Bahadur confirmed the matter. He said, after being closed for more than nine months, the shipping has started today for the first time. Among the passengers were local residents. This has not only brought relief to tourists but also to those associated with the tourism business. The ship is scheduled to reach St. Martin at 3:30 pm and will depart for Cox’s Bazar at 5 pm. St. Martin Tourism Control Committee convener and Cox’s Bazar Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nilufa Yachmin Chowdhury said, No anomaly was found in tourist transport on the first day. However, tourist harassment or any other irregularity will not be tolerated. Note that due to the lack of security due to the rising of divers in the Naf River and shelling on the Myanmar border, direct shipping from Teknaf is not allowed for now. Direct shipping from Cox’s Bazar to St. Martin route is allowed. Every year from October to March, the government allows shipping to St. Martin route from Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf. For the rest of the six months, the plying of ships on this route is suspended due to rough sea conditions. Two more ships – ‘Keari Sindabad’ and another new ship will be launched from Monday (December 2), officials said.
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