The benchmark index of the stock markets plunged into losing territory last week as investors became anxious about the market’s momentum. The jittery investors continued to offload their shares amid repeated regulatory actions against stock manipulations. Market analysts attribute the recent decline in stock market activity to a combination of factors, including waning investor confidence and heightened uncertainty. This sentiment was further dampened by the recent imposition of significant fines on several market manipulators. In a bid to curb market manipulation and instill discipline, the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) levied fines totaling approximately Tk 2.70 billion on multiple entities in two phases this week. Additionally, the BSEC has ordered a special audit of three major concerns within the Beximco Group. These latest regulatory actions are part of a broader effort to restore integrity to the capital market. As a result, the market witnessed a continuous selling spree throughout the week, while the news of the disbursement of the Tk 3,000 crore sovereign-guaranteed loan to ICB also failed to subside the prevailing pessimism pervading the trading floor, leading the bears to take control of the market momentum. In the last week, DSEX, the broad index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, lost 91.4 points, or 1.8 percent, to settle at 5,105 points. Investors' participation in the market also declined by 27.5 percent to Tk3, 22.2 crore as compared to Tk381.3 crore in the previous week. DSE trading ends on downtrend; index drops by 19.06 points Investors were mostly active in Pharma sector at 17.3 percent, followed by Textile sector at 16.3 percent and Bank sector at 10.9 percent. All the sectors, except textile 0.6 percent, ended in red with Paper sector minus -6.2 percent being the biggest loser. Last week, the stock market experienced a significant decline, with the market capitalization shedding Tk11200 crore to reach Tk 6,52400 crore on Thursday. A sell-off of large-cap stocks primarily drove this downturn. A notable contributor to the market's decline was Islami Bank, whose stock price plummeted over 11 percent to close at Tk 45.6 on Thursday. This single stock accounted for a 42-point drop in the key index. Other significant decliners. Most of the traded stocks saw price erosion, as out of 392 issues traded, 293 closed lower and 76 ended higher, while 23 others remained unchanged. Orion Infusion was the most-traded stock with shares worth Tk 1.11 billion changing hands, followed by Dragon Sweater, Asiatic Laboratories, Lovello Ice-Cream, and Saiham Cotton Mills. 18 banks at risk due to potential loan defaults by top 3 borrowers: Bangladesh Bank The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also ended lower, with the CSE All Share Price Index (CASPI) losing 277 points to settle at 14,304 and its Selective Categories Index (CSCX) shedding 169 points to close at 8,702. The port-city bourse traded 1.30 crore shares and mutual fund units with a turnover value of Tk 27 crore.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday sounded a strong warning against illegal hoarders and market manipulators saying that they would face the music. “If anyone hoards any goods out of ill-motive, we’ll have to take instant action against them through mobile courts and if needed send them to jail,” she said. Bangladesh Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina said this while chairing a meeting of AL Central Working Committee in her residence Ganabhaban. Czech PM greets Hasina on re-election as prime minister She said the sudden price-hike (of essentials) after the election is a very abnormal matter. “It is very essential to find out who are manipulators behind it. Not only find them, but also take instant actions against them. We’ll do it in future,” she added. The premier urged the people of the country to stay vigilant so that none could play games with the (prices of) food items by hoarding and black marketeering.  “There is no meaning to playing games with the food of people,” she said. Coming down heavily on those who question the recently held 12th parliamentary election, Sheikh Hasina said the people accepted this election. PM re-appoints Sajeeb Wazed as her honourary ICT adviser: PMO “Attempts are being made to create unnecessary confusion. Not only that, all of a sudden, the prices of rice and (some other) commodities went high after the election,” she added.The AL chief said the people spontaneously exercised their franchise in the January 7 general election despite campaigns carried out asking voters not to cast votes. Noting that there are attempts to wage movements in the RMG sector alongside price-hike of essentials, she said having failed to thwart the election, they (BNP) now want to start again in an alternative way. “We’ll not allow them to play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people of Bangladesh,” she said. The PM said the people are pleased and happy that the election was held and Awami League formed the government. “Insh'Allah, any abnormal situation won’t take place anymore in Bangladesh,” she said, adding that they established democracy and it would continue.The socioeconomic development of the people of this country would be ensured through the continuation of democracy, she added. Look for new markets for Bangladesh's products: PM Hasina at DITF opening Noting that her government will make further development of the country, she said they would keep arrangements to give a befitted reply to those who come to obstruct the development journey of Bangladesh.In the meeting, the upcoming countrywide upazila election was discussed. AL presidium members Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Begum Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Kazi Zafarullah, AL general secretary Obaidul Quader, and AL central working committee member Abul Hasnat Abdullah were on the dais.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday alleged that the government will not be able to rein in the skyrocketing prices of daily essentials as the ruling party leaders are involved with the business syndicates that manipulate the market. “The price of per kg rice is now Tk70 while that of per litre soybean oil is Tk 200…the price of no item is now under control.  We can’t afford the food we used to normally buy previously,” he said. Read: Silent ‘famine’ stalks country: BNP Speaking at a rally, he also said most people now cannot give their children the necessary amount of nutritious food items like meat, fish eggs as in the past due to an unusual price hike of all commodities. “They (govt) won’t be able to lower the prices of essentials as they’re benefited from it. Their leaders have created syndicates and get a share from them,” he said. Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club protesting the soaring prices of daily essentials and the utility services. Fakhrul alleged that Awami League has set up traps all around in a planned way to plunder the resources of the country and siphon off their ill-gotten money abroad. “There’s now turmoil over their laundered money. The Prime Minister went to the UAE. We don’t know whether it happened coincidently or not as her former brother-in-law was arrested for siphoning off Tk2, 000 crores abroad,” the BNP leader said. Earlier, the US imposed sanctions on RAB and its current and former top officials and the assets of these people in the USA will be confiscated. “Their children and relatives won’t be allowed to go to the USA.  Even, they won’t get banking service…people are saying more sanctions are coming.” Earlier on Tuesday, police arrested former minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain’s brother Khandaker Mohtesam Hossain Babar in a case filed against him for reportedly laundering Tk 2,000 crore. Fakhrul said Awami League is responsible for the corruption, plundering and market manipulation as this party ‘usurped’ power through staging a ‘farce’ in the name of election at midnight. “This government has made the lives of our people miserable. We must overcome this situation. We must stop our mothers and sisters from running after the TCB trucks. We must stand beside the families of those of our brothers who had been made disappeared,” he said. Read:Corruption only reason behind price hike: BNP Narrating the ordeals of the families of the victims of enforced disappearance, the BNP leader said their party leaders had disappeared as they raised their voices for establishing democracy and people’s rights. “No one can now say anything against the government as the Digital Security Act has been enacted. One will get arrested if even says anything indirectly against the current regime,” he observed. Fakhrul said a government of people must be established in the country ousting the current regime through a united movement. “We’ve to force this regime to quit shouldering the responsibility for its failures, and hand over power to a neutral government for holding a credible election.” “Lowering the prices of rice, pulses and oil won’t be enough. We must be allowed to live in our own way, we must be allowed to raise our voice and write freely, our right to justice has to be ensured and our law enforcers and administration must be the service providers of people,” he said.