The acquisition cost of Keylakunu island of Haa Dhaalu atoll, recently added to the list of islands for resort development, is estimated to be USD 11 million, says the Ministry of Tourism.

The island was added to the list on 29 November, as was received backlash from both the opposition and public. Keylakunu is one of the three islands to be leased for resort development in Haa Dhaalu atoll, along with Kudafaru fasgan'du and Kudamuraidhoo. They are to lease two lagoons in the atoll as well.

According to the ministry, the total acquisition cost for the said three islands and two lagoons is estimated to be MVR 847.5 million.

Following the government's decision to lease Keylakunu island for resort development, RaajjeTV launched a campaign to raise awareness on the importance of the island.

Amid its efforts, the station obtained a copy of a letter sent to the Maldivian government by the International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME) in 2001, recommending to designate the island as a Mangrove Wild Reserve in the Maldives, 'not only for our generation but also for future generations'.

In the letter, ISME highlighted that the island hosts a number of mangrove plants, including an Avicennia marina forest, which is rare throughout the world, especially in an island ecosystem.

A number of people took to social media to show discontent towards the government's decision, calling on authorities 'to keep the island as it is'.

The now uninhabited island was previously leased to a private party for agricultural development. Over 200 years ago, a tropical storm destroyed the island, forcing its residents to permanently move to nearby islands.