About 120 tourists stranded in Stain Martin island due to adverse weather have started to return.
As the weather became normal after the cyclone effect Bulbul, vessel movement between the coral island and Teknaf has begun. At around 7.30 pm travelers started to return from the island.
They were stuck on the island due to the great cautionary signal number 9 since Thursday.
Under the direction of district Commissioner Mohammad Kamal Hossain, an Upazila administration team handed over flowers and chocolates to the returning tourists.
Earlier on the same day, hundreds of tourists returned using small vessels like trollers risking their lives without informing the higher authority.
With the permission of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), the passenger ships, Farhan, Atlantic Cruise, and Kerry Cruise and Dine, left for Saint Martin's Island at 10.00 am. On the same day afternoon, the stranded tourists returned by these ships.Saiful Islam, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Teknaf, said that all the tourists stranded on the Saint Martin's Island were safe, as cyclone, Bulbul did not have much impact there. Movement of the tourist ships on Saint Martin-Teknaf route was kept suspended from Thursday afternoon following a rough weather caused by Cyclone Bulbul.
It is to be noted, due to severe cyclonic storm ‘Bulbul’ that developed over the Bay, more than 1500 tourists are stranded on Saint Martin’s Island. This occurred when the authorities, assuming the unprecedented losses or risks in sailing in the rough weather, suspended all vessel movement on the Teknaf-St Martin's route.
According to several tourists still in the island it was learned that they could not return to Teknaf as the ships, running between the Island and Teknaf, the southernmost point of Bangladesh in Cox’s Bazar, have been ordered to suspend their operation due to rough weather from Friday.