In a move to deepen Bangladesh’s capital market and enhance access to finance for small and medium enterprises, the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) on Tuesday inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote SME listings, attract investors and introduce innovative financial products.
The signing took place as part of the follow-up to a meeting held on September 16 at the DCCI office in Gulshan between the boards of DCCI and DSE, where both sides agreed to work jointly for accelerating the country’s economic growth and ensuring a stronger, more sustainable capital market.
DSE Chairman Mominul Islam signed the MoU on behalf of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, while DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed represented the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Speaking on the occasion, DSE’s Chief Operating Officer and Acting Managing Director Mohammad Asadur Rahman said the MoU marks a new chapter of joint efforts toward capital market development.
He said a dedicated DSE team will work closely with DCCI to involve more SMEs in the capital market. Initially, awareness campaigns will be conducted, and necessary support will be provided to facilitate the listing process for entrepreneurs.
“This joint initiative will yield positive results for both institutions and make the capital market more vibrant,” he added.
DCCI Taskeen said the agreement is more than a formality—it is a joint commitment to make the private sector more dynamic, foster knowledge and innovation exchange, and explore new avenues in the economy through joint research.
“Our economy is still heavily bank-dependent. It is time to work together for the development of the capital market,” he said, expressing confidence that collaborative efforts would help build a strong and sustainable financial base where the private sector and capital market complement each other.
Taskeen said DCCI has long been working on MSME development and research. “This MoU will open new opportunities for SMEs to access financing through the capital market. We aim to enhance market participation of SME entrepreneurs through knowledge sharing, awareness building, and research,” he noted.
DSE Chairman Mominul Islam said the country’s capital market has yet to meet the expectations of the national economy as there remains excessive reliance on the banking sector for long-term financing. “This dependence hinders the sustainable development of both the banking and capital markets,” he said.
He stressed the need for enhancing market depth by increasing the number and quality of listed companies, introducing new investment products such as derivatives, and engaging institutional and high-net-worth investors.
Describing DSE as a customer-centric organisation, he emphasised close collaboration and technological integration among stakeholders, including investors, listed companies, issue managers and fund managers.
“DSE is working to establish an integrated technology ecosystem to ensure effective connectivity across all market participants,” he said.
He also appreciated DCCI’s sincere cooperation in the initiative, saying the MoU will open a new horizon of collaboration between the two institutions.
Mominul said DSE will also work to raise awareness about its Alternative Trading Board (ATB) to help unlisted companies transfer and trade shares transparently and efficiently.
“In partnership with stakeholders like DCCI, we aim to move forward together—with trust, collaboration, and a shared vision—to make Bangladesh’s capital market stronger and more dynamic in the days ahead,” he said.