পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড).pdf/৬৫৯

631 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড 14. In these circumstances, the failure of the administration to function properly is understandable. Most Class I and II officers are back on the job; and the continued absence in Most areas of perhaps half the Class III and IV officers is unlikely to be a serious impediment to effective administration. However, for a number of reasons, most of the officers who are back are functioning perfunctorily at best. Among the senior officials the mission met, none have travelled extensively in the Province to see for themselves what the situation was in their particular area of responsibility. Communication between offices below the level of the Provincial Government hardly exists. Few officers at the district and thana level are veneuresome enough to leave their offices, and people are afraid to come to town. At the same time, the inevitable military intervention in matters normally dealt with by the civil administration and the continued dominant presence of the military are inhibiting factors; in addition, the appointment of several West Pakistanis to important posts in the provincial administration, the drastic curtailment of the development program, and the fact that most important decisions, including in particular those pertaining to the management of the economy, are being taken without their involvement have tended to reduce #Intere St. 15. The nature and course of the fighting varied greatly from one part of the province to another, and there have been associated differences in the persistence of insurgency and economic inactivity. The border is more-or-less open along its entire length and adjacent areas are therefore particularly vulnerable. Most of the early damage occurred and much of the continuing insurgency is taking place in the crescent from Ramgarh to Srimangal along the eastern border and in the inaccessible area along both sides of the Mymensingha /Sylhet division. The heaviest fighting and greatest destruction by the Army took place West of the Jamuna /Padma-with the trail of devastation running from Khulna to Jessore to Kushtia to Padma. Bogra, Rangpur and Dinajpur. This is the area of greatest population loss at present and where agriculture has been most retarded and activity most disrupted. Least affected apparently were the southern and coastal areas of Noakhali, Bakerganj and Patuakhali. Though the fighting started there Dacca, as the capital city and administrative center, is probably closest to "normal" at present; however, one similarity for all districts is that all remained very far from normal up to the time of our departure from East Pakistan on June 11. C. Effects On the Major Economic Sectors 16. (i) Agriculture.-Although the Mission did not observe major physical damage to this sector, it is clear that agriculture has suffered badly as a result of the conflict. Many farmers have fled others have been killed: all farmers have lost some time in the fields; and in all areas there have been in all farm operations delays, neglect and a lack of inputs. 17. In the case of rice, the boro crop (which last year accounted for about 16% of production) was very good-up about 15 %, on average, over last year, There is, however, some late boro still in the ground and, with the early rains and disappearance of many farmers, it is not certain that all of this will be harvested. The aus crop is generally much later planted than in normal years weeding has been neglected in areas where farmers have been harassed or have fled, and there is much yellowing, probably due to shortage