3 more bodies found

Bodies are still floating in the rivers even nine days after passenger vessel Pinak-6 sank in the Padma River at Munshiganj's Mawa.

Two more bodies - one of an around 25-year-old female and the other a 30-year-old male - were fished out on Tuesday from Barisal's Kaunia and Shariatpur's Shakhipur, respectively, said Munshiganj's Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kutubur Rahman.

Another body of an approximately 24-year-old female was found on Monday night in the Meghna River at Lakshmipur's Ramgoti.

But the trio is yet to be identified, said ASP Rahman.

File Photo

He said the bodies were being brought to Pacchar Primary School ground at Madaripur's Shibchar.

"They are almost unidentifiable. Despite that, we are notifying the families of those who are still missing to see whether anyone can identify them by their clothes," he added.

As many as 48 bodies have been recovered so far since the disaster that took place on Aug 4.

Twenty-seven of them have been handed over to family members after their bodies were identified.

Also, 17 other unidentified decomposed bodies were buried at Shibchar after collecting their DNA samples.

The launch, Pinak-6, was carrying nearly 350 passengers when it sank at Louhajang turning point in Padma.

Over 100 people were rescued that day, but scores others went missing.

However, eight days after recovery attempts began, the search operation for the sunken vessel was stopped on Monday after efforts to locate it proved futile.

According to the local administration, 62 passengers are still missing.