The stock market regulator yesterday asked the prime bourse to enhance transparency and accountability at a time when the market is gradually expanding with the entry of thousands of investors everyday.

"Having a well-furnished office is not the only thing, you will have to increase the standard of work as well as transparency in your activities," said Ziaul Haque Khondker, chairman of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), while inaugurating the renovated office of the Dhaka Stock Exchange in Motijheel.

The SEC chief emphasised the need for a better-run exchange.

On the current bull-run in the market, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President AK Azad said there is no scope of allowing a repeat of the 1996 incident, when the secondary market first bubbled and then burst.

The DSE board is focused on guarding the interest of the investors, especially retailers, said Azad, also a director of the prime bourse.

Dhaka City Corporation Mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka, former adviser to a caretaker government Syed Manjur Elahi, former FBCCI president Yusuf Abdullah Harun and Grameenphone Chief Executive Officer Oddvar Hesjedal attended the programme.

Meanwhile, Dhaka stocks continued to gain for a second day amid intra-day price

fluctuations; consequently, the key index reached another new high.

At the end of trading hours, the DSE General Index (DGEN) stood at 8,141 points, after increasing 58 points, or 0.72 percent.

Banking sector shares led yesterday's rally, advancing 2.03 percent on average.

"Increasing investor confidence in the banking sector is eminent with higher turnover and price appreciation of the sector as a whole," said BRAC-EPL, an investment firm, in its regular market analysis.

Among the top 10 most traded shares, seven were banks; the sector accounted for 46.92 percent of total turnover.

Fuel and power and ceramic companies also gained.

Telecoms, non-banking financial institutions and mutual funds led the list of top negative performers.

Losers beat gainers 145 to 91, with three securities remaining unchanged. DSE traded more than 12.84 crore shares and mutual fund units worthTk2,581 crore.

Chittagong stocks also marked a rise, with the CSE Selective Categories Index increasing by 59 points, or 0.4 percent to stand at 14,791.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange traded more than 1.74 crore shares and mutual fund units worthTk249 crore.

Losers beat advancers 106 to 75, with no change in seven securities on the port city bourse.