The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has extended the deadline for brokerage firms to fully implement uneditable back-office software, aiming to enhance transparency, automation, and data integrity in the country’s capital market.
The decision was approved at BSEC’s 961st commission meeting held on Monday, 1 July 2025, chaired by Commission Chairman Khondoker Rashed Maksud. A press release from the commission issued on Thursday, 3 July confirmed the development.
According to the BSEC, of the 291 dual TREC (Trading Right Entitlement Certificate) holders on the Dhaka and Chattogram Stock Exchanges, 244 have already implemented the new software. Among the 82 single TREC holders of the Chattogram Stock Exchange, 42 have completed the transition.
Responding to separate applications from DSE and CSE, BSEC approved phase-wise deadline extensions. For DSE brokers, firms such as Meenhar Securities, Bank Asia Securities, and ICB Securities Trading Co. Ltd. were granted time until 31 July. A second group, including Square Securities, Pubali Bank Securities, and Fareast Islami Securities, must comply by 15 August. A third group of 31 DSE firms, such as A.N.W. Securities, Azam Securities, and IIDFC Securities have until 31 August.
For CSE firms, Northwest Securities, Pioneer Shares, and Hillcity Securities were given time till 15 August, while Adams Securities, Capital Management, and Megacity Securities were granted a final deadline of 30 August 2025.
In September 2023, the BSEC made it mandatory for all brokerage houses to adopt tamper-proof, uneditable back-office software to eliminate manual manipulation of transaction records and to build a reliable audit trail.
The move is part of BSEC’s broader capital market digitalisation and governance reform efforts.
Regulators believe the full implementation will ensure better protection for investors, prevent fraudulent recordkeeping, and improve regulatory oversight of trading operations.
The BSEC stated it would not extend the deadline any further beyond the final dates.