A legal notice has been served on the government seeking a halt to all activities related to the 13th National Parliamentary Election until looted weapons and ammunition are recovered. Sent on Sunday (December 14) by Supreme Court lawyer Md. Mahmudul Hasan, the notice was addressed to key officials, warning that a public interest writ will be filed with the High Court if no action is taken within seven days.

Meanwhile, trading at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the country’s main stock market, ended on a negative note on the first working day of the week as key Index declined. Share prices of 249 companies fell, while turnover in monetary terms also decreased slightly.

According to DSE sources, the benchmark DSEX index dropped by 30.86 points to close at 4,932 points. The DSES index fell by 6.45 points to settle at 1,028 points, while the DS-30 index declined by 11.80 points to finish at 1,903 points.

A total of Tk 457.49 crore worth of shares and units were traded during the session, slightly down from Tk 463.76 crore in the previous trading day. Shares and units of 391 companies changed hands, with prices rising for 79 companies, falling for 249 companies, and remaining unchanged for 63 companies.

Analysts say the legal uncertainty over election preparations may be contributing to cautious investor sentiment, leading to the marginal decline in market turnover alongside the fall in key Index.