পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড).pdf/৬৬৫

637 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড operational program for this system as a whole, and such a program does not yet exist. Most, repairs and diversions which have been carried out thus far are temporary in nature and cannot be completed until after the monsoon at the earliest or, in some areas, until security situation has improved; and insurgent activity is continuing with at least minor disruptions to the physical network in several areas. More important, operations over the physical network will continue to be constrained by the security situation and the absence of vehicles and vessels. Even if the Military should decide to return all vehicles and vessels to fulltime commercial use-which it has not yet done-it will be unable to restore those that have been destroyed or seriously damaged, taken over the border or rendered unserviceable by intensive use without maintenance by the Military: nor is it likely to experience success in finding all the owners who are capable of maintaining those still available in operating condition. Finally, expansion of the water transport system, which will be needed to compensate for the reduction inland transport capacity, will require comprehensive planning and-for at least some vital components-time-consuming procurement procedures. 37. (iii) Commerce-Very little hard evidence about the commercial sector was obtainable during our visit; however, along with the sectors concerned with commodities and their transportation, the financial and trading sectors have also suffered severe physical and, particularly, psychological dislocation, with serious implications for the pace of economic recovery. This dislocation is observable at the level of the local retail and wholesale establishment: in the rupture of normal relationships in internal, inter-wing and external trade; and in the banking system and the realm of financial transactions generally. 38. The destruction of bazaars, shops and village markets-with their stocks-has been recorded: as a result of this and for other reasons, many small traders have fleet. This disruption of the internal disruptive trade has persisted, as is evidenced in the towns by the large proportion of retail stores and business premises which still remain shuttered. In most places visited to appeared to the Mission members that less than half those establishments left standing were open for business, and those that were open seemed to be conducting very little business. 39. One result of the severe psychological impact of the conflict is a general loss of confidence which affects both trading and financial relationships. Numerous traders have disappeared, at least temporarily; but, even for those who have remained, trading links and concomitant extension of credit facilities between importers, manufacturers; distributors and retailers have been disrupted; in circumstances where the settling of outstanding commitments has been prejudiced, creditors are unable or reluctant to extend new facilities. This has repercussions also on inter-wing and external trade relations. Apart from transport problems, trade with the West wing has been affected by the uncertainties (especially of West Pakistan exporters) over credit risks; similarly, some foreign exporters are presently requiring special payment guarantees for shipments to East Pakistan. 40. The extent of damage to trading links has not yet been tested because so far the disruption of transport has been the principal factor inhibiting the movement of goods,