Retail investors have demonstrated in Dhaka and Chittagong against a fresh round of continued fall in share prices.
In Dhaka City, the investors began agitation after failing to meet the Chairman of Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday.
Small Investors Unity Council General Secretary Abdur Razzak told bdnews24.com: “We’ll launch a movement to press one-point demand, resignation of the SEC Chairman, as he totally failed to control the market.”
He suspects ‘manipulation’ behind the latest share price plunge.
The Dhaka Stock Exchange’s general index, DGEN, fell by 134.29 points or 3.08 percent on Tuesday to close at 4224.36. In last four working days, the index lost 520 points.
Razzak said: “We tried to meet the SEC Chairman to lodge our protest against the continued market fall. But police intercepted us. I couldn’t see the Chairman. Later we demonstrated there.”
Another forum of the small investors, Bangladesh Share Market Combined National Unity, submitted a memorandum to SEC whose spokesperson Saifur Rahman received it.
Forum General Secretary Ataullah Nayeem said: “We’ve placed an eight-point charter of demands for bringing stability to the market.”
Rahman, however, claimed that members of the two forums were locked in a ‘scuffle’.
“A group of the investors submitted a memorandum. Meantime, another group came to see the Chairman. Then the two groups were locked in a scuffle.”
Later police drove them away, he said.
Combined National Unity demands include suspending approval of new IPOs for next six months for stability in the market.
Demos at Chittagong
The investors agitated at Sheikh Mujib Road near the Chittagong Stock Exchange against the share price fall. They also took out a protest procession and held a rally.
In the rally, the Investors Forum of Chittagong demanded resignation of the Finance Minister, Bangladesh Bank Governor and SEC Chairman.
Forum Joint Convener MA Quader said a vested quarter was trying to destabilise the market when it was recovering.
Source: bdnews24
