Investors demand SEC overhaul in 72 hours Demo also held in Ctg

FE Report

Retail investors placed a 10-point charter of demands on Sunday, a day after a steep fall in stock prices in the two bourses of the country.

Assembled under the banner of 'Sharebazar Oikyo Parishad', the investors demanded immediate resignation of Finance Minister AMA Muhith and Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman for their alleged failure to control the share market.

The investors demanded completion of the process of restructuring the capital market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), within 72 hours.

They also demanded suspension of trading in bourses for an indefinite period and payment of compensations to the general investors.

Among other demands, the investors asked the government to withdraw all cases filed against them, stopping 'irrational' interference by merchant banks and brokerage houses in the decision making of investors, special allocation in the upcoming budget for the capital market and bringing back the money that has been siphoned off from the capital market.

The investors also demanded clearing of the position with regards to Tk 50 billion rescue fund called the 'Bangladesh Fund'.

Meanwhile, after the closure of trading hours at Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), Sharebazar Oikyo Parishad organised a 'Gayebana Namaz-e-Janaza' for Rony Zaman, a 23-year-old youth, who is said to have committed suicide upon incurring huge losses in the share market.

After the janaza, a Doa Mahfil was held in front of the DSE building seeking divine justice for those responsible for the share market debacle.

Among others, president of the Sharebazar Oikyo Parishad Mizanur Rashid Chowdhury, organising secretary Jahangir Alam, joint secretary Shahadat Ullah Feroz, and members of the organisation Anwar Hossain and Golap Hossain were present at the programme.

UNB from Chittagong adds: Investors demonstrated in the port city Monday noon protesting sharp fall in share prices.

Hundreds of frustrated investors took to the street in Agrabad area and later submitted a memorandum comprising 8-point demand to Chittagong Stock Exchange office under the banner of Chittagong Investment Forum.

The leaders of the forum criticised the reluctant attitude of the government during the ongoing crisis in the share market.

The 8-point demand included removal of the central bank governor, rejection of the probe report, stopping the interferences of Anti- Corruption Commission (ACC) and National Board of Revenue (NBR) and halting trade in CSE and DSE ahead of SEC reform.