Date: Sun, 17 Mar, 1996
Bangladesh villagers cut up beached blue whale

COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh, (Reuter) - Jubilant Bangladesh villagers struggled several hours to cut up a rare blue whale found dead on a beach near Teknaf, 80 km (50 miles) from Cox's Bazar resort, officials said on Sunday.

They said villagers, mostly fishermen, who use oil extracted from whales to treat many diseases, cut up the giant mammal and took the pieces home.

They quoted Teknaf residents as saying the 17-meter-long whale apparently washed up on the beach on Friday night and died the next day.

Three blue whales have been found on the same beach on the Bay of Bengal over the last 10 years, they said.



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