The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has relaxed prior-approval requirements for certain share transfers by sponsors and directors of Z-category companies, and approved the Dhaka Stock Exchange's (DSE) roadmap for launching financial derivatives products.

In the 1,027th commission meeting held on Tuesday with BSEC Chairman Masud Khan in the chair, it decided that prior commission approval will no longer be required for confiscation of a Z-category sponsor or director's shares over loan default, or for transmission of shares following a shareholder's death.

The stock exchanges concerned will handle such cases as per their Listing Regulations.

On dividend payments to foreign shareholders of listed companies, the commission decided that firms must obtain Double Taxation Avoidance (DTA) certificates from the National Board of Revenue (NBR) within 30 days of declaring or approving dividends for foreign shareholders, and disburse the dividend within the same financial year.

Companies will also need to submit a Preliminary Dividend Compliance Report after completing local dividend distribution, and a full Dividend Compliance Report within 30 days of remitting dividends to foreign shareholders, to be filed with both the commission and the relevant exchange.

Separately, the commission approved DSE's implementation plan for launching financial derivative products, covering regulatory initiatives, system development, infrastructure build-out, and clearing-settlement and risk management arrangements.

BSEC said it will regularly monitor DSE's progress on the plan. Index futures will be introduced first, with formal derivatives trading at DSE expected to begin in January 2028.