Gaps in financial reporting, audit quality and corporate governance continue to weigh on investor confidence in Bangladesh’s capital market, policymakers and accounting professionals said on Monday.
The concerns come as the market struggles to attract new listings, with no IPO approvals since March 2024, according to a paper presented at a World Investor Week 2026 conference in Dhaka.
Tanvir Shahriar Ghani, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, said financial reporting, accounting, auditing, corporate governance and risk management ultimately rested on trust.
“Investors rely on the integrity and accuracy of financial information when making decisions. If that trust is broken, investors lose money and confidence in the entire capital market suffers,” he said.
Ghani said Bangladesh already had the institutions and professional bodies needed to build a strong financial ecosystem, but global standards must be applied consistently.
“We must ensure that comparable companies are assessed under comparable standards and, above all, strengthen professional integrity through self-discipline, accountability and ethical conduct. That is essential for attracting sustainable global capital,” he said.
The conference was jointly organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB), Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB), Institute of Chartered Secretaries of Bangladesh (ICSB), Institute of Internal Auditors Bangladesh (IIAB) and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) Chairman Masud Khan said a strong financial ecosystem depended on the complementary roles of accountants, auditors, corporate secretaries and risk professionals.
“Together, these professions strengthen corporate governance, organizational resilience and sustainable growth,” he said.
Khan also stressed the need for appropriate audit fees and said BSEC would introduce stringent rules and regulations to ensure quality audits once fees were properly determined.
Asifur Rahman, vice-president of ICAB, said management, boards and auditors had interconnected responsibilities in producing reliable financial information and maintaining market integrity.
Arif Khan, council member of ICMAB, said low valuations, lengthy approval procedures, excessive paperwork, policy uncertainty and weak investor confidence were among the key barriers to new listings.
His presentation cited experiences from India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, where predictable regulations, market-driven pricing, incentives, faster approvals and stronger institutional participation helped support IPO activity.
Participants said Bangladesh’s ongoing regulatory reforms could help restore confidence if accompanied by credible financial reporting, stronger governance, better audit quality and effective investor protection.
The conference also focused on investor resilience, digital deception and scam risks as capital markets become increasingly digital.
For Bangladesh’s capital market, participants said, rebuilding trust in financial information and institutions would be central to strengthening investor confidence and attracting quality companies to the exchange.
