918 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ চতুর্দশ খন্ড Take for example the case of Jessore. This cantonment has been receiving its needs from Dacca, mainly through Goalundo Ghat and by air. A crucial road junction on this route Satkhira has however, had to be abandoned by the Pakistani Army and to make certain action to severe the route at more points in Kushtia district such as Jhenida and Chuadanga. Even so, there was an emergency supply route using Chalna port. Mukti Bahini frogmen, however early this week sank a Greek vessel in the navigation channel totally blocking it. The supply line of Jessore through this route is therefore, affected and it may have to be confined to air lifts or air drops. This is an expensive form of maintenance, especially when aircraft are limited and there is always the possibility of losing them through ground fire. The position of Chittagong is apparently not much better. Mukti Bahini commandos have been very active in this area from the commencement of operations. They have put out of commission all but two of the moorings. The port's ability to handle heavy military hardware has thus been severely curtailed and there is the ever present fear that ships moored to them will be subjected to attacks by the frogmen. Ships flying foreign flags have been sunk and their owners are now very firm that they will not visit Chittagong port. Perhaps that is not an irreparable loss as the overland route connecting Chittagong with Chandpur or Dacca has been severed. In order to repair its severely battered life line Pakistan has tried hard to develop an inland waterway to Chandpur. This has not however, been very successful as Chandpur has been receiving the attention of the commandos. Four vessel carrying food and supplies for the Army were recently sunk there including a vessel recently acquired from China. In desperation, the Pakistan authorities have issued orders to their gunboats to shoot and destroy all country boats plying in the Chalna and Satkhira areas. This is likely to have widespread repercussions, as the people of the delta regions have always used the waterways for travel and cargo carrying. It could result in the locals of the area facing starvation in the course of time. Will Pakistan be able to rectify her logistic mismanagement and retrieve the situation? As things stand at present and with the Mukti Bahini activities increasing it is possible but it will not be a simple task. Distance from the home base in West Pakistan and devastations will make it even more difficult. What then, will this lead to? It could be that what befell Rommel's troops in the desert could repeat itself again in Bangladesh. The Mukti Bahini has already tipped up the hour glass and if they maintain the pressure as they have in the past the sands must inevitably run out for the Pakistani forces in the course of time.
