No presence of top Bangladeshi companies at Saint Martin

South of the Cox’s Bazaar-Teknaf peninsula lies a small island, known as Saint Martin’s Island since the British occupation. The first settlements were however of Arabian sailors 250 years ago, who gave it the name - Zajira. To locals, it is known as Narikel Gingira (Coconut Island). St. Martin’s Island is the only coral island in Bangladesh. It exhibits unspoilt natural beauty and lucrative beaches dotted with coral reefs.

The island has approximately 7000 residents, living mostly from fishing and other staple crops like coconut and rice. Their main export is algae which is dried and sent to Myanmar. Chicken and other products are imported from mainland Bangladesh. They live in a certain scope of risk, as during the rainy season, they are trapped on the island due to the dangerous Bay of Bengal. There are no resident doctors in the remote areas.

However, the rest of the year, the island is a serene and sunny place. The only transport to the island is by boat from the mainland, and the small landmass remains unpolluted. There are no cars, electricity or tarred roads. Replacing these rancorous forces is the sun, the clear ocean, lovely beaches and palm trees. The island is full of wonderful activities like water sports, scuba diving, beach parties and bonfires in the evening. Interestingly, there are no banks in the islands; not even local banks.

The economy of the island is simple and clean. Entrepreneurs, however, are rapidly becoming aware of St. Martin’s potential for greater earnings without accounting for its environmental and cultural vulnerability. Nevertheless, there are no big companies operating in the island.So far no established business groups or corporate companies have shown interest in investing in Saint Martin.

This stunning island is strongly recommended to foreign tourists and residential Bangladeshis alike, as it displays all the beauty that our country has to offer, concentrated in a minute and palatable location. Local cigars and handloom goods of the Rakhyne tribe prove to be great buys, along with the priceless view of the sunset beyond the ocean waves. The idyllic beaches are greatly different from those of Cox’s Bazaar’s more commercial ones, with the friendliest population of inhabitants. The finest weather on the island is between November and February, which of course is also the major tourist season. There is no valid reason for why tourists should not visit this lovely island while in mainland Bangladesh. Also there no reason why top Bangladeshi companies should not invest in this island.