630 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড taxis, cars and buses are back on the roads; while no more than 15 per cent of the carts and trucks are back to moving goods. Everywhere else the figures are lower, but the phenomenon is particularly marked between population centers. Nowhere is vehicular traffic along the roads at more than 5 to 10 per cent of normal levels. And, except for some fishing activity, the waterways appear deserted. The country boats have disappeared. 10. The disruption of commerce was just as complete and fundamental and there is, as yet, no sign of recovery. During the period of conflict, many village markets were destroyed and economically important groups within the population-such as beparis, or up-country jute traders-have virtually disappeared. During and since the conflict there has been widespread looting, and so far traders have been reluctant to return to work. In this situation, a jute buyer, who was trying hard to get jute moving again, felt compelled to carry Rs. 500,000 (in Rs. 10 and Rs. 50 notes) up-country very recently in his quest for traders with jute to sell. 11. It was difficult to obtain figures about banking; however, it is known that there were substantial withdrawals in March and some looting and loss of staff from late March to late April. Since then, most bank branches in the cities and probably more than half of those in outlying areas have been "opened" but deposits of the system have not been restored to prior levels and activity has remained very low. 12. In all spheres the severity of the disruption and its persistence are due much more to psychological than to physical factors. This is nowhere more true than in industry. With very few exceptions-a couple of jute warehouses burnt in Chittagong, one tea factory in Sylhet, one tea chest factory in Chittagong, the paper mill at Tongithe damage to physical plant of large factories has been slight. In fact, most of that which has occurred since 25 March has been inadvertent: many electric motors were burnt out by unusually severe voltage fluctuations during the early weeks, the rayon plant at Kamaphuli Paper Mill was badly damaged by sulphuric acid left in the system for several days and several plants have suffered from reduced or faulty maintenance. Damage and destruction of smaller industrial enterprises such as sawmills, brick kilns and handlooms- particularly around Narsingdi and Northwest Bengal-was probably more significant, but detailed information is not available. In any case, the major factors affecting industry now, and likely to persist for some time to come, are loss of management and labor, financial problems, the inability to obtain supplies, and the inability to sell and transport finished product. 13. Managerial staff and labor who have fled to the villages have been now to return. They are probably intimidated both by the continuing presence and actions of the Army and by threats from the insurgents that they should not support the latter's cause by returning to work. Those who have returned remain frightened; and the appearance of threatening posters put up by the insurgents has caused serious setbacks to recruiting efforts, e.g., in Ghorasal and Chittagong, and reportedly also elsewhere in the Province. In some instances, management and technical personnel-especially non-Bengalis and Hindus-were killed, with the result that many others have left Hast Pakistan and in part at least are unlikely to return.
