After a meeting with stakeholders, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has lifted the ban on tourist launch operations in the Sundarbans mangrove forests.
The decision was taken after a joint meeting with the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) and the Tour Operators Association of Sundarbans (TOAS) at 10pm on Thursday.
Abdur Razzaq, the BIWTA deputy director (ports and traffic department) at Khulna River Port, said that a number of conditions were, however, imposed at the meeting, including limiting passengers on board and maintaining Covid-19 hygiene rules.
On Wednesday, the BIWTA banned tourist launches to the Sundarbans due to the increase in Covid cases and deaths in Bangladesh, and issued a letter to the TOAS in this regard.
Moinul Islam Jomaddar, president of TOAS, said: “The government's 11-point directives say nothing about the suspension of tourist launch operations. So, we will operate launches and ships with a limited number of passengers.”
General Secretary of TOAS M Nazmul Azam David said all tour operators were booked through February. Many have already received advance payments, and therefore, the ban would have caused problems.
On March 26, 2020, travels to the Sundarbans were banned after the first Covid cases were reported in Bangladesh. The restrictions were eased on November 1 the same year.
Again, on April 3 last year, a fresh ban was slapped when the pandemic situation deteriorated. Finally, the government lifted all restrictions on tourist movement on September 1.
