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THE BODIES OF another nine refugees have washed up in Bangladesh after an overloaded boat carrying scores of desperate Rohingya sank in rough seas, police said today, taking the confirmed death toll to 23.
Eight bodies were found on the banks of the Naf river, which separates Bangladesh from Myanmar, and another was found miles away on the island of St Martin.
More than half of the victims in the latest disaster were children, said Mian Uddin, police chief for the border town of Teknaf.
He could not say how many people were missing, but survivors and officials have said the boat was carrying between 60 and 100 people.
So far 15 have been rescued by Bangladesh coast guards and border guards, though authorities say some may have swum to Myanmar.
More than half a million refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since 25 August, fleeing a military crackdown that followed attacks by Rohingya militants on police posts.
The exodus had slowed, but in recent days government officials say there have been thousands of fresh arrivals, most coming from parts of Myanmar’s Rakhine state that are far from the border with Bangladesh.
Many cross the Naf river at its narrowest point, but others are attempting to make the journey by sea, boarding often rickety fishing trawlers that are wholly inadequate for the rough waters in the Bay of Bengal. Nearly 160 have drowned.
Among the latest influx were two young boys aged two and three, who died due to hunger and exhaustion as they entered Bangladesh.
“Their parents told us that they died due to starvation. They walked seven days and did not have anything to eat,” Sultan Ahmed, a local councillor at Anjumanpara border village, told AFP.
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At least wait till halloween is over. Money hungry feckers.
Aaaaaagh!!!! We need a new non religious holiday for this time of year. Something for everyone who is sick of this capitalist skullf@#kery. It should start no earlier than December and be a time to strengthen relationships with family and friends…without all the guilt and fairytales. Ok, yes…kinda like Festivous without the pole.
Give us a break It’s far too early.!
@Gerry Fallon: Very few people in this country are still Catholic. Why are we still calling it Christmas? I don’t believe in god. This festival does not represent me.
Shup you.
You don’t have to believe in ghosts to enjoy a good ghost story.
The reason there’s holidays that time of year is because of Christmas. It’s the name of the holiday same as Halloween.
Take the chip off your shoulder and take off that stupid hat while you’re at it ya muppet
What are you telling me for? Just do what you want. Nobody cares whether you believe or not.ok
Let’s all change our traditions because it doesn’t represent the one person complaining about it! Quickly everyone, let’s all call it “Annual Gift Day” from now on before the mass outrage begins!
Mick, the reason there’s a holiday that time of year is because of ancient Celtic traditions. The catholic Church, only later, appropriated those ‘holidays’ changing the name by which they were known and re-branding them as ‘Catholic’.
@Siesztrzewitowski Brzenczyszczykiewic: Does this mean you’re willing to forgo the Christmas holidays and work as normal for flat rate pay? Good man, your boss will be delighted with your progressive beliefs.
Seriously? Its October….
@Kerry Blake: Not with the shops… It is Greedmas time.
“we’re walking in the air…”
@Kieran Stafford:
We’re shopping in the air
We’re buying in the moonlit sky
The people far below are shopping as we fly
I’m holding very tight
I’m buying in the midnight blue
I’m finding I can spend so high above with you
Far across the world
The shops go by like trees
The rivers and the hills
The forests and the streams
Children gaze open mouth
Taken by surprise
Nobody down below believes their bank accounts
We’re surfing in the internet
We’re swimming in the frozen internet
We’re drifting over wed ads
Mountains floating by
Suddenly swooping low on an Amazon deep
Arousing of a mighty monster from its sleep
We’re searching in the air
We’re floating in the midnight web
And everyone who sees us runs over us as we fly
A lot effort put in there Alois. Was it worth it
Is it just me..or is Halloween being pushed more and more every year..at least give the witch bitch a chance to vanish before bringing in the bearded bollox..
I wish we gave Halloween some proper air-time in Ireland. It has some very beautiful and poignant traditions about honouring the dead.
Fup off !
It’s way to confusing for kids my little lad is convinced Christmas is next never mind Halloween! Even though our house is done up for Halloween, I’ve had to give him a timeline so he Understands better.
P!ss off
For the love of all that lives, leave anything to do with Christmas out untill the 1st of December it spoils everything when its too early.
I think it’s beautiful, ho ho ho
@STARVIN MARVIN: Too early…
It’s beginning to look a lot like F**k this!
Saw Brown Thomas Window today…it looks daft.
Any company that puts up chrimbo stuff before December 1 loses my business for at least a year.
Todd i do the same . Everyone should boycott these shops.
have your say