Police disperse striking investors

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FE Report Stock investors continued their fast-unto-death strike for the second consecutive day Monday in the front of the National Press Club after the police dispersed them in the morning from their original venue at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) site. Investors began hunger strike Sunday morning under the banner of Bangladesh Capital Market Investors Oikkya Parisad (BCMIOP) demanding restoration of normalcy in the country's stock market, which still witnesses steady fall. Police and RAB personnel dispersed the investors from in front of DSE at 8.30 am and detained BCMIOP President Mizanur Rashid Chowdhury and some ten investors. Police released all the detained investors except BCMIOP president Mr Chowdhury and the investors alleged that Chowdhury could not be traced till Monday noon. Afterwards, Chowdhury was freed and asked not to go to the venue of hunger strike. Being dispersed from DSE area, investors went to the National Press Club and owed to continue their fast at a press briefing. They said their hunger strike would be continued until Prime Minister gives any clear instruction regarding the market stabilistion. They also brought allegation against the officials of law and enforcement for harassing them in a peaceful hunger strike. "We feel insecurity as the law and enforcement persons are following us," Nazrul Islam, the acting president of BCMIOP, told the newsmen. He said they are also in insecurity at the press club as the police were patrolling outside the gate of club. He said hunger strike programme was a peaceful move and they never made any room for opposition party to capitalise the stock market issue. "We also halted our activities during the visit Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Bangladesh and the recent strike called by BNP," Mr. Islam said. At the press briefing, investors sought shelter from the Prime Minister and the effective measures to protect the free fall of the market. BCMIOP vice president Kazi Nazrul Islam said that their move was neither political nor anti governmental. "We are looking at the Prime Minister so that she gives specific declaration of market supportive measues," Mr. Nazrul said. Meanwhile, standing committee member of BNP and former army chief Mahbubur Rahman and opposition chief whip Zoynal Abdin Faruq went to press club on Monday afternoon and expressed their solidarity with the investors. Columnist Syeed Abul Moksud also went to the press club in the evening and requested the investors to break their fast. But the investors said they would continue their hunger strike until any declaration comes from Prime Minister to restore normalcy in share market. However, investors continued their fast till filing of the report at 8.30 pm Monday.