The High Court (HC) on Sunday issued a rule asking why the government's decision to restrict travel to Saint Martin's Island will not be declared illegal.
The HC has asked the environment secretary, the director general of the Department of Environment (DoE) and the deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar to respond to the rule within four weeks.
A bench comprising Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury issued the rule after a hearing on a writ filed by a resident of Saint Martin's Island.
Lawyers Amir Hossain and Ujjal Hossain argued for the petitioner.
On October 28, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued a memorandum, detailing measures to address environmental degradation and control uncontrolled tourism on the island.
These included a limit of 2,000 tourists per day on average, a ban on overnight stays on the island during December and January, a restriction on lights, noise, and BBQ parties on the beach at night, and navigational approval for boats requiring clearance from the Ministry of Environment.
Challenging the validity of the memorandum, ANM Helal Uddin, president of the Cox’s Bazar Citizens’ Forum, filed the writ on November 21.
bd-pratidin/GR
