Staff Correspondent: In a bid to attract more foreign investment, the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has called upon the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) to take proactive steps to encourage Chinese investors to engage with Bangladesh's capital market.
BSEC Chairman Dr Khondaker Rashed Maksud made the appeal on Tuesday during a high-level meeting with representatives from China's Shenzhen and Shanghai stock exchanges, held at the BSEC headquarters.
Dr Maksud underscored the importance of the partnership, noting that the BSEC views its Chinese counterparts not merely as strategic shareholders in the DSE, but as valued friends in Bangladesh's financial development journey. "There is immense potential for mutual achievements through Bangladesh-China cooperation," he said.
Also present at the meeting were BSEC Commissioners Md Ali Akbar and Farzana Lalarukh, and DSE Chairman Mominul Islam. The Chinese delegation was led by Wang Hai, Deputy Director General of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and also a DSE board director. He was joined by Linlin Zhengchao (Senior Manager, IT Division), Jian Yi (Assistant Manager, Legal Affairs), and Hao Lingyu (Assistant Manager, International Cooperation).
Dr Maksud praised the growing understanding between the DSE and Shenzhen Stock Exchange, recommending a comprehensive gap analysis to further enhance bilateral collaboration. He urged both exchanges to work jointly on areas such as IT infrastructure, risk management, stakeholder engagement, and product development, with particular emphasis on attracting Chinese investment into Bangladesh's stock market.
He added that there was much to learn from the operations of Shenzhen, Shanghai, and China's financial regulators - a sentiment echoed by Wang Hai. "This is our first visit to Bangladesh in five years since the pandemic, and we hope this will help bridge the communication gap of recent times," Wang said. He expressed confidence in Bangladesh's investment environment and reaffirmed Shenzhen Stock Exchange's willingness to work closely with Bangladeshi partners.
Wang also welcomed the idea of a cross-border roadshow, promising support from the Shenzhen Stock Exchange should the DSE take the lead in organising such an initiative.
DSE Chairman Mominul Islam discussed long-term plans and strategic roadmaps aimed at strengthening the DSE with support from its Chinese partners. He also highlighted the DSE's V-Next platform, which aims to facilitate investment flows and knowledge-sharing with China.
The meeting concluded with discussions on broader market prospects, future collaborations, and the shared ambition of enhancing Bangladesh's capital market through international cooperation.