Cross border, home-based traders aimed at

A two-day long Internet Trade Fair (ITF) of Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) begins   today (Wednesday) to attract more investors by popularising online trading system, officials said.
The port city bourse has arranged the ITF targeting professionals, teachers and students from public and private universities, potential women investors, non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) who will be able to execute share trading at CSE by using their laptop, tab, smart phone, iPhone and other internet friendly devices.
The port city bourse introduced its automated share trading for the first time in the country's stock market on June 2, 1998. Later, online share trading was introduced at CSE on May 30, 2004.
According to CSE officials, presently share trading executed through online platform stands to around Tk 50 million to Tk 70 million a day.
The CSE's ITF will be held at the Institute of Diploma Engineers Auditorium in the capital. M. A. Mannan MP, state minister for finance and planning, will inaugurate the fair and Prof M Khairul Hossain, the chairman of the securities regulator, will also attend the ceremony.
17 TREC (Trading Right Entitlement Certificate) holders, three IT solution companies, two telecom operators and two ISP (Internet Service Provider) companies have got allotments for their stalls at the CSE's ITF.
The port city bourse Tuesday held a press briefing at its Dhaka office to put light on the mechanism of CSE's trading platform existed in their work places.
CSE chairman Dr. Muhammad Abdul Mazid was present at the press briefing attended by managing director and other senior executives.
"Investors, who have BO accounts opened with the CSE TREC holders, will get a password from their respective brokerage firms. By using the password they themselves will be able to execute share trading by placing orders through their laptops, iPhones, tabs, smart mobiles etc.," CSE managing director Syed Sajid Husain told the press briefing.
He said investors awareness programmes have also been arranged at the ITF.
"In the fair, participants will be given practical knowledge on as to how internet trading can be executed existing in home, office and abroad. Besides, awareness programmes have also been arranged for the participants," said CSE managing director.   
Asked, whether the CSE's move is like the initiative of opening brokerage branches across the country in 2009-10, CSE managing director said investors' involvement with share trading was not mainly responsible for bull run of 2009-10.

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