All tourist vessels to Saint Martin's island will cease operations from the start of February, with travel to the country's only coral island prohibited from February to October as per government directives.

The decision, announced in October last year, sparked concerns among local businesses, who are dependent on tourism for their livelihoods.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change restricted tourist visits to just three months of the year -- November, December, and January -- in order to reduce pollution and protect the island's environment and biodiversity.

Previously, tourist vessels operated from October to March, leaving the island residents to contend with severe financial strains due to the shortened season.

As such, they have been urging the authorities to extend the tourism period until the end of February to mitigate financial losses.

Nilufa Yasmin Chowdhury, convener of the committee regulating tourism to Saint Martin's Island and upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Cox's Bazar Sadar, confirmed the government's decision.

"As per directives, tourists can visit Saint Martin's until January 31. After that, all tourist vessels will stop operating," she said, adding that no further instructions had been received regarding an extension.

MA Rahim Jihadi, president of the Hotel, Motel, and Resort Owners' Association of the island, lamented the decision.

"This is an unprecedented crisis for the island. If tourists are barred, thousands of people who rely on tourism will suffer."

Hossain Islam Bahadur, general secretary of the Sea Cruise Operators Owners Association of Bangladesh, urged the government to reconsider.

"At least keep Saint Martin's open to tourists for February. This will help mitigate the financial losses faced by the island's residents and businesses," he said.

Taiub Ullah, owner of St Martin Mermaid Resort, said, "It is impossible for the people on Saint Martin's to survive for 10 months of the year with just two months of income. We urge the government to keep the island open until February."

He added that tourism would naturally decline in March due to Ramadan.

Tourist travel to Saint Martin's resumed on December 1 from the BIWTA jetty at Nuniachhara in Cox's Bazar, with six vessels currently operating on the Cox's Bazar-Saint Martin's route.

In previous years, tourist vessels operated from October to March, with services suspended during the monsoon due to rough seas.

However, new restrictions have also imposed limits on overnight stays -- banning them outright in November and capping them at 2,000 tourists per night in December and January.

Starting February, all tourist visits will be banned.

Previously, tourist ships also operated from Teknaf, but sediment accumulation in the Naf River and border skirmishes in Myanmar have halted vessel operations along that route.

With the ban set to take effect from February, business owners and residents are anxiously awaiting a government response to their appeals for an extension.