Cox’s Bazar | Bay Insight

To ensure conservation and sustainable management, a proposal has been prepared to divide St. Martin’s Island, the only coral island of Bangladesh, into four distinct zones. The zoning framework has been outlined in a draft master plan prepared by the Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) under the Ministry of Water Resources.

The draft master plan was presented on Tuesday (6 January) at a workshop on the St. Martin’s Master Plan held at a hotel in the capital Dhaka. At the workshop, CEGIS Senior Expert H. M. Nurul Islam highlighted various aspects of the proposed plan.

According to the draft master plan, St. Martin’s Island is proposed to be divided into four zones: General Use Area, Controlled Resource Area, Sustainable Use Area, and Restricted Access Area.

General Use Area: Tourism and Settlement under Conditions

In the General Use Area (Zone 1), residential living, tourism activities, infrastructure development, and limited economic activities will be allowed. However, these activities must be conducted in line with environmentally friendly and sustainable development guidelines.

Activities harmful to the environment such as coral collection, pollution, night fishing using artificial lights, and high-speed vehicle movement are proposed to be prohibited in this zone.

Controlled Resource Area: Protective Buffer for Sensitive Zones

The Controlled Resource Area (Zone 2) has been identified as a buffer zone surrounding environmentally sensitive areas. Limited eco-friendly tourism and economic activities may be permitted here.

However, the draft plan proposes to ban illegal resort construction, deforestation, use of harmful agricultural chemicals, and collection of turtle eggs. Restrictions are also proposed on using lights or lighting fires on boats at night.

Sustainable Use Area: Nature Conservation Zone

In the Sustainable Use Area (Zone 3), human intervention is recommended to be kept to a minimum. No new settlements, infrastructure development, or environmentally altering activities will be allowed.

Mangrove forests, lagoons, and turtle nesting sites will fall under this zone and receive special protection. Public access will be limited, and high-speed vehicle movement will be prohibited.

Restricted Access Area: Strictest Conservation Measures

The strictest regulations are proposed for the Restricted Access Area (Zone 4). Following the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) standards for a “Strict Nature Reserve,” this zone is planned to be developed as a fully protected area.

Public access will be almost entirely prohibited. Activities such as settlement, resource extraction, fishing within 1,000 meters, causing pollution, or disturbing wildlife are proposed to be strictly banned.