Ahsan Habib

Stock investors in Bangladesh are apprehensive about the US hiking import tariffs, a move that could hurt the South Asian nation’s exports and the profitability of export-oriented listed firms.

Bangladesh's stock market has been struggling for several years due to the poor performance of listed firms, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.

For years, investors believed that Beacon Pharmaceuticals was an export-driven company, contributing to the country’s economy and increasing its profitability. But beneath the surface, the reality was quite different.

Bangladesh’s education system is failing to produce skilled human resources for industries, leading to rising unemployment among educated youth while industries struggle to find qualified workers, according to economist Selim Jahan.

Bangladesh is set to graduate from the least-developed country (LDC) club next year, which will bring several challenges in international trade.

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has sent a letter to the government requesting the appointment of 19 officials with degrees in economics, finance, commerce, accounting, statistics, mathematics, law, and information technology.

Mixed reactions came from different quarters

The chaos surrounding certain demands by a section of Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) officials and employees in early March was aimed at protecting stock looters and manipulators exposed in an ongoing investigation, according to initial BSEC findings.

It is a positive sign for investors that directors of several well-known listed firms are purchasing their own shares, believing them to be undervalued amid a lack of buyers.

Most listed multinational companies (MNCs) saw a year-on-year erosion of profits in the October to December period of FY25, mainly due to higher financing costs and macroeconomic challenges amid political uncertainty.

The Anti-Corruption Commission and the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) have initially unearthed anomalies amounting to around Tk 28 crore in implementing the Regulatory Information System (RIS) project.

The ongoing standoff at the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) that kicked off on Wednesday last week could be described as a battle on thin ice.

Remittances have become a much-anticipated relief for the economy reeling under macroeconomic stress, growing steadily since August last year and providing the interim government with a breather amid a rapid erosion of foreign exchange reserves.

At the end of 2024, one-fifth of the total loans in the banking sector turned sour, mainly as the true extent of embezzlement by willful defaulters is now coming to light.

At the end of 2024, one-fifth of the total loans in the banking sector turned into bad loans, mainly because the true extent of fund embezzlement by willful defaulters is now coming to light

Emerald Oil, a rice bran oil maker, has seen a bumpy performance since being listed with the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), which in turn has led its investors down a tumultuous road.

Although Bangladesh’s insurance sector has suffered a confidence crisis due to widespread corruption over the past 15 years, the interim government has not taken notable reform measures for the industry.

The interim government has not pursued significant reforms in the insurance sector

No one expects to bear the consequences of offenses committed by another person. Yet, this is exactly what is happening in the stock market, where investors are suffering due to the wrongdoings of company directors.

The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) is going to purchase six modern container ships from South Korea at a cost of $330.32 million to break the stranglehold enjoyed by non-Bangladeshi feeder vessels, which results in the loss of a substantial amount of foreign currency in freight costs.