Dhaka, Jan. 31 -- As the last tourist vessel pulled away from the jetty on Jan 31, the coral island of St Martin's slipped into an unfamiliar quiet, its beaches emptied not by weather, but by a government order aimed at giving the battered ecosystem a chance to breathe.

The early closure of the tourism seasons triggered widespread concern among local residents dependent on visitors for their livelihoods.

The order, taken by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, directed that no tourist-carrying vessels will be allowed to operate to the island from Feb 1.

Although tourist travel to St Martin's is typically permitted every year from Oct 1 to Mar 31, authorities curtailed the season this year, setting Jan 31 as the final...