They claimed at least 40 bodies were floating near Char Montaz, Char Gangamoti, Char Panshi, Sonar Char, Shipar Char, Rupar Char and adjacent areas.

M A Matin, chairman of Char Montaz Union Parishad, when contacted over cellphone, said also he heard that some bodies were floating in the coastal waters. Matin was at Galachipa upazila headquarters. He said he was preparing to go to the shore to verify the news and recover the bodies.

Galachipa Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mezbahuddin said, on hearing the news, he ordered Officer-in-Charge of Galachipa police station Abdul Mazid and the local Union Parishad chairmen to go to the spots and take necessary steps.

Meanwhile, 13 Bangladeshi fishermen, who were missing in the during storm last week, returned to their homes in Barguna on Saturday, according to a delayed report reaching here yesterday.

The returnees were Mustafa, Ismail, Faruk, Amzad, Azam Ali, Selim, Idris, Altaf, Jahangir, Kabir, Sagir, Shahjahan and Dulal, all residents of Badurtala village in Patharghata upazila of Barguna district, sources said.

They had gone to the Bay on board FB Zahir Sikdar, which, caught in a storm, capsized on June 30.

Braving the sea for three days, they were drifted to a shoal in Kakdwip in West Bengal coast under Chabbispargana district.

After passing five days without food and water, they were rescued by some Indian fishermen on Monday last.

After nursing and providing with food, the Indian fishermen sent them to Koikhali Char under Shayamnagar police station in Satkhira on Thursday.

After a day-long walk they reached Koira police station on Friday and returned to Pataharghata Saturday afternoon, the sources said.

Mustafa Chowdhury, president of Barguna district trawler owners association, when contacted over cellphone yesterday, confirmed the incident and thanked the Indian fishermen for rescuing the Bangladeshi fishermen and sending them back home.