Rizwana urges public to protect St Martin's as nature starts to recover

As the government moves to curb unregulated tourism threatening the country's only coral island, Environment Adviser Rizwana Hasan urged citizens to take personal responsibility for protecting Saint Martin's Island and its delicate ecosystem.

Speaking at a river and environment festival today (25 October), Rizwana highlighted the government's recent measures, limiting visitor numbers, enforcing daytime-only access, and deploying tourist police, which are already showing positive results. She cited incidents where tourists entered the island during Fajr prayer hours, taking advantage of minimal supervision. 

"This is not a game of police and thieves, every citizen must take responsibility," she said. "After overnight stays were banned, many spread misinformation, but now visitors can witness the corals regrowing and mangroves returning."

The adviser also outlined broader environmental initiatives, including industrial pollution control and comprehensive waste management under a World Bank-backed project for Dhaka's four rivers. The project includes dedicated budgets, monitoring equipment, and citizen-friendly measures, with Rizwana stressing that industrial owners must share responsibility alongside enforcement efforts.

Special guests included Naoka Martinez Bexstrom of the Swedish Embassy, Solaiman Haider of the Department of Environment, and representatives from BAPA, Bangladesh River Foundation, and the Inland Water Transport Authority.

The daylong festival, which began at dawn along river routes from Kanchan Ghat in Rupganj, Narayanganj, culminated at Dhadhar Char at the confluence of the Sheetalakhya and Old Brahmaputra rivers in Gazipur. Along the journey, participants shared river stories, exchanged ideas, sang songs, and showcased artwork highlighting environmental concerns.

The festival concluded with poetry, music, and open discussions, reinforcing the collective message: "Save the rivers, save life."