Dhaka, May 23 -- A truck veered into a ditch in Gaibandha's Palashbari on the stormy morning of Thursday as Cyclone Amphan was cutting its path through Bangladesh. Under the rod-laden vehicle lay the bodies of 13 passengers, a development that brought into question how they travelled 270 kilometres from Dhaka evading at least six police checkpoints.

The truck was seized soon after and brought to the local police station amid the storm. After the cyclone dissipated, police moved the rods and discovered the bodies of 10 middle-aged men and three others, Gobindaganj Highway Police OC Abdul Quader Jilani said, adding that the driver and his helper were not there.

Palashbari Police OC Masudur Rahman said the Rangpur-bound truck had started f...