135 dolphins washed ashore in Kuakata in 8 years; causes unknown

Over the past eight years, at least 135 dead dolphins have washed ashore on Patuakhali's Kuakata sea beach. Yet, no post-mortems have ever been performed to determine the cause of the deaths, raising a pressing question: who will take responsibility?

Local fishermen claim many dolphins get entangled in fishing nets and are suffocated to death, while others die due to polluted waters or getting hit by ships.

However, official records often list the cause of deaths as "natural deaths".

"Dolphins are indicators of ocean health. Their presence maintains balance in the ecosystem. To safeguard the blue economy, dolphins must be provided with safe sanctuaries," said Mir Mohammad Ali, assistant professor at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University and a fisheries researcher.

The latest incident was reported on September 20, when a 10-foot-long Irrawaddy dolphin washed ashore at Gangamati Point of Kuakata beach. The carcass bore multiple injuries, with skin peeled off in several areas.

Earlier, on September 4, another dolphin of the same species and size was found dead on the same beach. A bottlenose dolphin was discovered on August 1, followed by three Irrawaddy dolphins on August 13, 14, and 31.

The carcasses emit a strong stench, causing discomfort to tourists. To address the issue, members of Kuakata Upokul Poribesh Rokkha Andolon (UPORA), in collaboration with the Forest Department and Kuakata municipality, bury the dead dolphins on the beach.

KM Bachchu, a member of UPORA, who has been involved in the dolphin burial efforts since 2017, said, "At first, the stench was unbearable. That's when I started burying them myself. Later, we formed UPORA to continue the effort."

He added that most of the carcasses had visible injuries, suggesting that they may have died from ship propeller strikes or entanglement in fishing nets. "We have documented every incident. Since 2017, at least 135 dead dolphins have washed ashore in Kuakata, but no autopsies were performed."

Bakhtiar Uddin, an associate researcher at WorldFish, alleged that some unscrupulous fishermen use poison near river mouths to catch fish -- a practice that could also be contributing to dolphin deaths.

According to Abul Hossain Raju, joint convener of UPORA, most of the dolphins found dead on Kuakata beach were Irrawaddy dolphins -- a species typically seen in Southeast Asian waters and the estuaries of the Bay of Bengal.

Ruman Imtiaz Tushar, team leader of the Kuakata Dolphin Conservation Committee, said, "Local environmental groups remain vigilant about dolphin conservation, and with their support, the carcasses are buried properly. So far this year, 12 dead dolphins have washed ashore, compared to 10 in 2024 and 15 in 2023. We are urging authorities to determine the exact causes of these deaths."

Sagorika Smriti, associate researcher at Bangladesh Maritime University said, "Dead dolphins washing ashore is nothing new. They are most commonly found during the monsoon. Unlike in developed countries, our efforts to protect marine biodiversity are inadequate. Unless authorities enforce the Wildlife Conservation and Security Act 2012, such incidents will persist."

Echoing similar concerns, AKM Moniruzzaman, range officer of the Forest Department's Mohipur office, said, "Whenever we receive information from the Dolphin Conservation Committee, our staff rush to the spot and bury the carcass to prevent odor. Due to lack of facilities, we cannot conduct autopsies, which could otherwise reveal the real causes of death."

Moniruzzaman further said due to the absence of a labs here, there cannot be post-mortems.

"We have informed the higher authorities several times to arrange for forensic tests, but to date, no initiative has been taken to establish a lab," he said.