The New Nation - Internet Edition

Technical glitch suspends trade in DSE for an hour

Staff Reporter

Equity trading in the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) remained suspended for one hour and seven minutes yesterday. DSE spokesman blamed technical hitches behind this fault but didn't specify its kind.

Following trouble in trading from the beginning of the day, the equity market finally went out of order at 1:00pm and couldn't recover till the end of the day. Official from the DSE however claimed it would overcome the technical fault today.

DSE officials and technical experts were seen working till late on yesterday night. Work will continue as long as it takes to bring the market in trading order, said an official while supervising the repairing.

However, all three DSE index on the day closed in positive despite a trouble turned trading session.

According to the DSE trading record, shares of total worth Tk199.46 crore were traded yesterday. Shares out of total 232 companies total 165 increased and 54 company faced decline. Shares of remaining 13 companies were unchanged.

DSE General index closed the day with 24 points growth, reaching at 2933 point. DSE All Index added 20 points and DSE20 index added 5 points at the end of the trading.

CPB WP for left alternative

Staff Reporter

Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Workers' Party leaders yesterday called for strengthening the left forces alternative to AL and BNP to bring the country out of crisis.

Leaders said this yesterday in a joint meeting of the two parties presided over by CPB president Manjurul Ahsan Khan at the CPB office at Paltan in the city.

They urged the government to give people all democratic rights by lifting the state of emergency and bar on politics. The leaders also urged the government to hold the general elections within the timeframe given by the EC and ban the parties in election, which opposed the Liberation War.

At the meeting the CPB and WP leaders demanded to control the price hike, open fair price shop all over the country and provide the farmers with adequate fertiliser and other agricultural inputs.

They also urged the government to strengthen the anti Corruption drive.

WP president Rashed Khan Menon, general secretary Bimal Biswas, politburo member Nurul Hasan, Nur Ahmed Bakul, CPB general secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim, presidium member Shahidullah Chowdhury and central leader Ruhin Hossain Prince, among others, were present at the meeting.

2 killed, 2 hurt in road mishap

Chittagong Correspondent

Two auto-rickshaw passengers were killed and two others suffered wounds when an auto-rickshaw collided head on with a truck near Chittagong University approach road under Hathazari police station this morning.

Police and eye-accounts said that the accident occurred at about 7:00 a.m. when an-auto-rickshaw bound for the city collided head on with a laden truck killing two people on the spot and injuring the others.

Neither cops nor the locals could identity the victims immediately. Two of the critically wound people were taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital. Driver of the auto-rickshaw was among the wounded people.

Bodies of the victims have been taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital Morgue for autopsy.

Though the passers by chased the truck but failed getting hold of it. A case was recorded with Hathazari police station in connection with the accident.

WatSan Expo on March 4, 5

Staff Reporter

A two-day water sanitation exposition titled WatSan Expo will be held at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city on March 4 and 5.

This was disclosed at a press conference organised by WaterAid Bangladesh at the National Press Club yesterday.

Azhar Ali, acting Country Representative of WaterAid, read out a written statement, while Hasin Jahan, Programme Director and Syed Ishtiaque Ali Jinnah, Director of Policy and Advocacy, spoke on the occasion.

Some 30 stalls of WaterAid and other 20 associate organizations who are working in 19 districts, three city corporations and two pourasavas will take place in the expo. The stalls remain open from 10:00am to 6:00pm everyday, said Azhar Ali.

Around 2,000 participants will attend the exposition where local representatives will also be present there. Seminars and rally will be also held. Among districts of the country, Hill Tracts community is under worst situation of sanitation coverage in the country, he said.

M Anwarul Iqbal, LGRD and Cooperatives Adviser, will inaugurate the exposition, while AMM Shafiullah, Vice Chancellor of BUET, will be present as chief guest in the concluding session, said organisers.

$70m US investment deal signed for power plant, tyre industry

Staff Reporter

American company 'Leviathan Global Corporation', expressed its interest to invest $70 million to set up a 50 MW power plant and a tyre industry in Karnaphuli Export Processing Zone (KEPZ).

Out of the total American company investments, $45 million will go to the power plant project, which will provide uninterrupted power to enterprises operating in KEPZ and adjoining areas during peak and off-peak hours.

An agreement was signed in this connection yesterday at Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) complex, BEPZA official informed.

Moreover, the US Corporation will install this plant on 6010.14 square meter of allotted space within the KEPZ. The plant will go into operation within two years.

The US Company will also invest $25 million in a tyre industry in the same EPZ area, which will create employment opportunity for more than 300 local workers and six foreign nationals.