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Background: East Pakistan's Mukti Bahini guerrilla movement claim their advance from the Indian border areas is now threatening the port city of Chittagong. They claim divisions of their men are moving in on the city from three directions, and that the Pakistan army is retreating from the advance.

Visnews cameraman Prem Prakash filmed this story some 50 miles (80 Kms) north of Chittagong with a Mukti Bahini force apparently assembling for a frontal assault on the Pakistan army forces.

SYNOPSIS: From numerous small villages inside the East Pakistani border, the Mukti Bahini guerrillas claim to be advancing on the port city of Chittagong. Their unit commanders have said that their forces are within 40 miles of the city, and are advancing from three directions. They also claim their men are massing for a frontal assault on the Pakistan army, using field guns and light arms in an attempt to break through to Chittagong.

As the guerrillas moved through the area, farmers fled deeper into the countryside and the rice crops are almost due for harvesting. The prospect of famine faces most of the people unless the farmers return, but the Mukti Bahini say they are confident that the farm workers will return within the next to weeks.

A Pakistani, alleged by the Mukti to be a spy for the Government forces, was tied to a pole in the burning sun to face certain death as the advance moved past him to set up bunkers for the frontal attack.

The guerrillas in this sector were setting up 3-inch mortars, already proven successful against the army. Many of the Mukti Bahini operate on scant supplies of arms and ammunition and a large store of self-confidence. They claim their ranks are getting stronger all of the time as they move towards Chittagong.