Tk 170 Billion Vanishes from Stock Market in a Month!

Economic Desk | May 1, 2025

Investors have lost over Tk 170 billion amid a continuous slump in the country’s stock market. During April, out of 18 trading days, the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) was in the red for 15 days. The DSEX index fell from 5,219 points at the start of the month to 4,917 points at the end—a drop of 302 points. Liquidity shortages, lack of investor confidence, and weak regulatory oversight have left investors in disarray.

Market analysts state that efforts by the government and the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) to address the downturn were inadequate. They failed to ensure necessary reforms, recruit skilled personnel, and maintain policy transparency.

AFM Nesaruddin, a member of the Capital Market Reform Task Force, commented, “Structural weaknesses in the BSEC are now a major obstacle. There is a lack of skilled personnel at the director and deputy director levels. Those at lower levels cannot make decisions; they simply process files.”

Dr. Selim Raihan, a professor at Dhaka University’s Department of Economics and executive director of SANEM, remarked, “There is no effort to build long-term trust in the stock market. Policymakers are not focusing on the market; rather, they are neglecting the crisis.”

Economist Dr. Zayed Bakht added, “When investors lack confidence in the stock market, even positive initiatives fail to deliver results. If the government and BSEC do not reassess their approach, the market will become even more unstable.”

Experts attribute the current instability in the stock market primarily to the failures of the government and regulatory bodies. The lack of transparency and accountability in the market, coupled with frequent policy changes, has shattered investor confidence.