United News of Bangladesh

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Monday told Parliament that the government has a specific plan to develop the country’s stock market and make it vibrant and dynamic aiming to turn it into a long-term source of financing. “The government is firmly committed to strengthening the capital market and transforming it into a sustainable and long-term financing hub,” he said replying to a starred tabled question from ruling party MP from Noakhali-5 Mohammad Fakhrul Islam. The minister said the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has been working relentlessly to achieve this goal. Finance Minister Amir Khosru returns home after hospital treatment “Considering the vital role of the capital market in economic development, the government has included specific commitments in its election manifesto to improve the sector,” he said. Khosru noted that investors’ confidence is closely linked with capital market development. “Therefore, the government has taken initiatives to ensure good governance, transparency, accountability, diversification of financial products, and expansion of investment education to build a sustainable capital market,” he said. The government has taken several initiatives to enhance market depth, including forming a strong bond market, to establish the capital market as a major source of long-term financing, listing fundamentally strong companies in the stock market, and listing unlisted state-owned enterprises, he said. The minister said steps are being taken to introduce Exchange Traded Funds (ETF), Sukuk (Islamic bonds), and green bonds, ensure good governance in mutual funds to attract general investors, and introduce commodity and financial derivatives. To ensure transparency, accountability, and discipline in the market, the government is working to curb irregularities and market manipulation, strengthen investigation and enforcement activities, modernise and digitise the capital market, ensure easy market access from home and abroad, protect whistleblowers, and ensure corporate governance, he said. Khosru said a draft of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission Act, 2025 is under review by merging the Securities and Exchange Ordinance, 1969 and the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission Act, 1993. He also said a draft of the Capital Market Stabilisation Fund Act, 2026 is also under review to ensure proper management and settlement of undistributed dividends, IPO funds, and unclaimed shares. In addition, new rules are being formulated for whistleblower protection, corporate governance rules 2026, amendments to Debt Securities Rules 2021 to include sustainable bonds, and enlistment of panel auditors and audit firms, the minister said. He said to increase investment awareness, the government is planning to include investment education in school, college, and university curricula, organise nationwide training for young entrepreneurs, and involve district and upazila administrations in awareness programmes. The minister said divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, and Upazila Nirbahi Officers are being engaged in awareness activities, while district information offices are expanding public awareness campaigns. Under the “Safe Investment, Aware Citizen” programme, grassroots training and campaigns are being conducted. Investment-related content and videos are regularly uploaded on BSEC’s website, Facebook, and YouTube channels, he said. Khosru added that Bangladesh Television has taken an initiative to broadcast a fortnightly investment education programme titled “Pujibazarer Jana-Ajana.”