He said the task force is addressing long-standing irregularities and corruption

TDS Desk:

The stock market is expected to regain momentum by June due to reforms that are currently underway, Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) Chairman Mominul Islam said Saturday (18 January).

“Investors will start believing that reforms are underway. By June, some of these reforms may send a positive message to the market. We hope to see an improved situation in the stock market by June,” Mominul Islam said at the ‘CMJF Talk’ organised by the Capital Market Journalists Forum (CMJF).

He said the task force is addressing long-standing irregularities and corruption.

“Reform efforts have already begun. While not all reforms will be completed by June, some will be implemented, helping to restore investor confidence.

DSE outlines major reforms, including tax rebate, exposure limits

“Long-term credibility will be established in the capital market. There will be no unfair concessions, and investor confidence will return,” Mominul added.

He noted that the stock market in Bangladesh is currently very narrow and has lagged significantly over the past 15 years, whereas stock markets in other countries have progressed during the same period. However, all stakeholders in the country are now working positively to advance Bangladesh’s stock market.

“We are already moving forward with both long-term and short-term plans,” he said.

“It will take time to see the results of the long-term plan. It is like laying the foundation of a building — it remains invisible from the outside, even though it is the most critical part. Once the foundation is complete, everyone will see the construction of the building above it. The real work happens during the foundation phase.”

The DSE chairman emphasised that maintaining investor trust is essential, stating, “Everything will fail if we cannot maintain the trust of investors. That is why we are focusing on short-term plans.”

He highlighted four key priorities, including bringing good companies to the market in the short term, resolving the issue of negative equity, advocating for tax reforms in fiscal policy, and eliminating insider trading and market manipulation.

“We have zero tolerance for insider trading,” he asserted.