Environment and Forest Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan’s “Banned” Saint Martin’s Island!

Opinion
By Dr. Hasan Mahmud Tipu

Although my research focuses on “Environmental Law, Environmental Justice, and Movements,” I haven’t had the chance to write on this subject since the interim government took office. However, after watching a video on YouTube featuring locals from St. Martin’s Island, I was compelled to reflect on the situation. After careful thought, research, and consideration, I have written this article and hope you will read it attentively and provide your well-considered feedback.

Since the government assumed power 104 days ago, St. Martin’s Island has been at the center of heated discussions. Many people compare the July uprising to America’s “Color Revolution.” In recent years, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has mentioned several times that the United States wanted to establish a naval base on St. Martin’s Island. After her fall on August 5, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy remarked that if his mother had agreed to allow the US to set up a base on the island, she would not have had to leave office. Agreeing with Joy’s statement, many in the Awami League and elsewhere have labeled this as part of an American conspiracy. They have raised doubts on social media, suggesting that Dr. Mohammad Yunus, a close friend of Hillary Clinton and an associate of the Democratic Party, might facilitate the establishment of an American base there.

The suspicion surrounding an American military presence in St. Martin’s has been further fueled by the current government’s environmental and forest adviser, Syeda Rizwana Hasan. I have a great deal of respect for her. Rizwana, a senior in the Law Department at Dhaka University, has always been a clear and articulate speaker, with a refreshing straightforwardness. I was thrilled when she became the government’s adviser on environment and forests. I have a personal memory with her from 2016, when I interviewed her for my PhD research. During that conversation, we discussed a variety of topics, including the 2012 abduction of her husband, which was believed to be linked to her legal and social actions against the shipbreaking industry. Following this, her husband was released, but Rizwana had to keep quiet on many matters for several years.

It’s important to note that after the garment industry, Bangladesh’s second largest sector is the shipbreaking industry. It has been established along the seashore in Sitakunda, Chattogram, where ships from Europe and the United States are dismantled. This is a highly hazardous industry, where workers are exposed to toxic materials, and the environment and biodiversity are severely harmed—an issue that I am currently researching in my work.

Rizwana, as the Chief Executive of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), has earned praise for her advocacy in implementing environmental laws and promoting the protection of biodiversity. She received the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2012 for her judicial activism, particularly in addressing the shipbreaking industry’s devastating impacts. However, since she took up the advisory role, I have noticed that her focus seems to have shifted almost exclusively to St. Martin’s Island, without significant action on other environmental issues, such as the shipbreaking industry.

In January 2020, BELA hosted a seminar in Cox’s Bazar to discuss the protection of St. Martin’s Island. Among the recommendations made by stakeholders were reducing the number of ships, promoting coastal afforestation, encouraging eco-friendly construction for hotels, and banning excessive extraction of underground water. However, none of these suggestions included the prohibition of overnight stays on the island or a ban on tourism during certain periods. So, why has Rizwana Hasan now proposed restricting access to tourists, including overnight stays? Her argument is that the island’s coral reefs are being destroyed, and turtle nesting is disturbed due to tourism, which necessitates strict regulations to protect the island’s ecosystem. While the environmental concerns are valid, the local population’s right to a decent livelihood must also be considered.

In my 2009 paper, “Tourism and Conservation of Biodiversity: A Case Study of St. Martin’s Island, Bangladesh,” published in the Warwick University’s LGD Journal, I emphasized that the livelihoods of St. Martin’s residents are heavily dependent on tourism. Therefore, tourism should be managed in a way that preserves biodiversity without disrupting local livelihoods. Eco-tourism could be a viable solution, but tourism should never be entirely banned. During my last visit to St. Martin’s in 2016, I observed that while many tourists visited the island during the day, the number of overnight tourists was limited. The authorities had implemented regulations to stop tourist activities after 11 p.m. to avoid disturbing turtle nesting.

While I commend Rizwana for her efforts to prioritize St. Martin’s environmental protection, it is important to remember that other environmental issues, such as the shipbreaking industry, leather industry, plastic waste, and pollution, also require urgent attention. I have not seen any news of her addressing these critical areas. Moreover, issues like climate change, the protection of the Sundarbans, river erosion, and water pollution are just as pressing.

A BBC Bengali video report on November 8 highlighted the escalating tensions in St. Martin’s. Local residents were seen protesting the government’s restrictions, which now include a ban on tourists from visiting the island. The government’s actions have severely impacted the local economy, with tourism-related businesses, including hotels and transport services, facing severe losses. Tourists are also frustrated, with one family from Rajshahi complaining that if the government had made their restrictions clear, they wouldn’t have traveled so far.

The locals’ protests are fueled by fears that they are being “trapped” on the island. Many are asking why they, as citizens of Bangladesh, cannot freely travel within their own country, while tourists are now being barred from visiting. Some have even started speculating that the government’s actions could be paving the way for the island to be leased to the United States for a naval base. Such fears have been amplified by the recent blurring of St. Martin’s Island on USGS EarthExplorer maps.

The government has announced that St. Martin’s Island will not be leased to anyone, and I do not believe the government intends to lease the island to the United States. However, the increasing restrictions and lack of clarity surrounding the island’s management are concerning. Rizwana has long been an advocate for public participation in decision-making processes, yet the government’s approach to St. Martin’s Island has been a top-down decision, with no consultation with the local community. Local residents are feeling marginalized, and their livelihoods are at risk.

I urge Rizwana and the government to engage in a dialogue with the local population, tourism industry stakeholders, and environmental experts to find a solution that balances the protection of St. Martin’s Island with the rights and needs of its residents.

While St. Martin’s Island is undoubtedly an important ecological treasure, its conservation must not come at the expense of the people who depend on it for their livelihoods. The government and environmental authorities must take a holistic approach that includes the perspectives of local residents, tourism industry stakeholders, and environmentalists. Only then can we ensure a sustainable future for both the island and its people.

Dr. Hasan Mahmud Tipu
Assistant Professor, Law Department, Carlton University
Ottawa, Canada
November 21, 2024

(Note: This article draws on personal experiences, BELA’s website, Jaijaidin, my own research papers, BBC’s YouTube channel, and videos of the St. Martin’s protests. The images of the island were sourced from Google searches via news websites.)