Around 300 tourists stranded on St Martin's Island

Around 300 tourists have been stranded on St Martin's Island due to the formation of a depression in the Bay of Bengal.

Some tourists have been stranded on the island since operation of ships and all the water transport between St Martin and Teknaf has been suspended from this morning due to rash weather in the Bay, said Teknaf UNO Md Adnan Chowdhury.

However, he could not confirm how many tourists were there on the island.

The Meteorological Department has asked four seaports including Cox's Bazar to display Signal No 3 due to low pressure in the Bay.

Jahir Uddin Bhuiyan, traffic supervisor of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in Teknaf, said two ships went to St Martin's yesterday with 496 passengers onboard.

Of them around 200-300 passengers did not return, he added.

Hossainul Islam Bahadur, former general secretary of SQUAB, an organisation of St Martin ships owners, said, "There is no accurate information, but 250 to 300 tourists may be stranded."

Mujibur Rahman, chairman of St Martin's Union Parishad, said the tourists who are stranded on the island are safe and sound.

It has been raining since yesterday midnight due to the influence of depression.

People of Cox's Bazar are worried after the formation of a depression in the Bay of Bengal, since many have been affected recently due to Cyclone Hamoon on October 24.

Mohammad Ali, a resident of Shaplapur union of Moheshkhali, said, "We have not yet recovered from the damage caused by Cyclone Hamoon. The government also did not help us. Now if another cyclone hits, what will we do?"

Sharif Ullah, a resident of Ward No 1 of Cox's Bazar, said, "The situation is still looking good. However, if it worsens, we will have nowhere to go."