A giant dead whale that washed ashore on the western beach of Kutubdia upazila of Cox’s Bazar continues to swell and resurface even after being buried, spreading a strong foul smell across nearby areas and causing severe suffering for residents.
The whale drifted ashore on 7 March night along the western coast of South Dhurung Union in the upazila. Locals said the carcass slowly approached the shore with the tidal current.
Chairman of the South Dhurung Union Parishad, Alauddin Al Azad, said fishermen first spotted the whale while fishing in the Bay of Bengal. Several fishing trawlers later tied ropes to the whale and pulled it closer to the coast, but it was already dead and emitting a strong stench.
After the fishermen left it floating in the sea, the rising tide eventually carried the carcass onto the western beach of Kutubdia, he added.
UP Chairman Azad said the upazila administration was informed, but no officials arrived immediately. Later, local representatives and residents dug a pit in the sand dunes and buried the whale after about an hour of effort.
However, locals complained that the carcass had been buried too shallowly. As tidal water washed away the sand, the whale swelled and resurfaced again, worsening the foul smell.
The UP chairman, however, claimed the whale had been buried 8 to 10 feet deep. He also alleged that no government agency has come forward to take effective action in this regard.
Contacted, Forest Department official Abdur Razzaq said that such incidents do not fall within their jurisdiction.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (in charge) Mahbub Alam said the whale is so large that it continues to swell and rise to the surface even after burial. Because of the intense stench, it has been difficult to find local workers to handle the carcass.
Authorities have therefore instructed that the whale be cut into smaller pieces using an excavator and buried again, he said.
Mahbub Alam added that there are residential areas within about 1.5 kilometres of the site, and the smell has been spreading with the wind, causing severe discomfort to residents.
Local Union Parishad member Nazmul Huda Sakib said the stench from the dead whale has made it difficult for people to work normally within a 2–3 kilometre radius of the area.
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