B Mirror Desk : On Thursday morning, stocks experienced a significant decline, with the main index falling below the critical 5,000 level for the first time in six months. This drop was driven by anxious investors who continued to sell off their shares to avoid further losses, despite attempts by regulators to stabilize the market.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange’s key index decreased by over 39 points, or 0.78 percent, reaching 4,983 after nearly three hours of trading by 12:45 PM. Market analysts noted that investors have been grappling with a lack of confidence for an extended period due to a bleak market outlook.

In response to the ongoing market decline and perceived inaction from the securities regulator, a group of investors protested on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of Khondoker Rashed Maqsood, chairman of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC), and Prof. Abu Ahmed, chairman of the Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB), citing their inability to restore market stability.

The protesters also called for the chief adviser’s intervention to appoint qualified individuals to replace Mr. Maqsood and Prof. Ahmed in order to restore investor confidence. The DS30 index, which tracks 30 leading companies, fell by 15 points to 1,852, while the DSES index, representing Shariah-compliant companies, dropped 12 points to 1,108 at that time. Market turnover was recorded at Tk 2.09 billion.

Among the stocks traded, 55 saw gains, 27 experienced losses, and 63 remained unchanged on the DSE. Beach Hatchery emerged as the most actively traded stock, with transactions totaling Tk 382 million. The Chittagong Stock Exchange also reflected a downward trend, with its All Shares Price Index (CASPI) declining by 33 points to 13,978, and the Selective Categories Index (CSCX) falling by 14 points to 8,536 at that time.