A writ petition has been filed demanding that the minimum investment requirement for Qualified Investors (QIs) to participate in the SME market be reduced from Tk 3 million (30 lakh) to Tk 1 million (10 lakh). In response, the High Court has directed the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) to make a decision on the matter within 30 days.

The writ was filed by Md. Jamal Hossain, a general investor, with Advocate Gazi Towhidul Islam representing him during the hearing. The petition was heard by a High Court bench comprising Justice Sardar Mohammad Rashed Jahangir and Justice Dihidar Masum Kabir.

The court instructed the BSEC to take necessary steps regarding the investment threshold for the SME market (Q1) within the stipulated period.

Petitioner Jamal Hossain argued that the previous Tk 30 lakh threshold favored large investors and created inequality in the market, which this move could help reduce.

According to current regulations, Qualified Investors must have a minimum investment capacity of Tk 30 lakh to invest in the SME market. However, although a government gazette had already set the limit at Tk 10 lakh, it was never implemented—prompting the writ petition.