Dhaka, Nov. 5 -- MV Baro Awlia, the first tourist ship of the season, has left Cox's Bazar for St Martin's with nearly 800 passengers after a long period of uncertainty.

It sailed from the Nuniachhara Jetty of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) at 7:30am on Thursday, said Mahmudur Rahman Sayem, executive magistrate of the tourism cell.

The season opened on Nov 1, but approval and administrative hurdles kept tourists waiting five days.

The district administration, Department of Environment (DoE), BIWTA and Coast Guard staff barred single-use plastic bottles, polythene and sound boxes from the ship, and made loudspeaker announcements about protecting the environment.

Khondokar Mahmud Pasha, DoE deputy director in Co...