Dhaka, Feb 14 (UNB) -Angry investors took to the streets and clashed with police in the capital on the second consecutive day today as share prices fell sharply at the country’s premier bourse, Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE).
Police picked up more than 30 protestors from the trouble-torn Motijheel Commercial Area after a series of clashes and chase and counter chase between cops and crazy investors.
Furious share traders set fire to the entry point of Madhumita Cinema Hall Bhaban in front of the DSE building and ransacked several brokerage houses nearby when DSE General Index (DGEN) slipped 446 points within 30 minutes of the day’s trading.
They also ransacked over 20 vehicles on the road from RK Mission to Dainik Bangla crossing including a police van and assaulted its driver.
The demonstrators beat up a cameraman of Mohona TV while taking video footage of clashes. Police fired tear gas shells and charge batons to disperse protestors.
Traffic movement from Motijheel Shapla Chattar to Ittefaq intersection came to a halt following the demonstration. The trading remained suspended till 3:15pm.
The often volatile market witnessed ups and downs in recent weeks with sharp price fall in shares of major sectors like banking, energy and insurance.
The benchmark general index of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DGEN Index) marked a 472.90 points or 7.81 percent fall at the end of day’s trading at 3pm. The DGEN Index plunged to 5579.50 points from Sunday’s 6052.41 points.
The All Shares Price Index and DSE20 Index also fell significantly. The All Shares Price Index dropped to 4633.47 points from Sunday’s 5020.48 points showing 387.01 points or 7.70 percent decline.
The DS20 Index slipped to 3738.28 from Sunday’s 4064.44 points showing 326.15 points 8.02 percent down.
Of the traded issues, 246 declined, three gained while three remained unchanged.
The total amount of shares that changed hands today was Tk 6630.69 million which was Tk 7156.83 million.
Our Chittagong Correspondent said hundreds of investors staged street demonstration at about 11:45am as the Chittagong stock market also marked a sharp fall.
They staged demonstration in front of the CSE building at Sheikh Mujib road and Agrabad crossing.
The investors halted trading at least eight brokerage houses including Kabir Security, Lanka-Bangla, IDLC and Chittagong Capitals at about 12pm following sharp price fall.
Later, additional police went there and controlled the situation.
Meanwhile, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said today that the government has postponed its decision of offloading of all government shares in the capital market.
On Feb 10, Finance Minister AMA Muhith told reporters that the authorities had decided to offload the shares of 21 state-owned enterprises, within this month in the wake of turmoil in the capital market.
UNBconnect... - Stock-market plunges: Furious investors clash with police, vandalizes vehicles; over 30 detained
Stock-market plunges: Furious investors clash with police, vandalizes vehicles
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