The Dhaka Stock Exchange Brokers Association (DBA) has urged the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) to stop what it described as “unnecessary harassment” of brokerage houses in the name of routine inspections and investigations.

The call was made at a meeting held on September 8 in the presence of members of the DSE board of directors. The meeting discussed recent inspections and investigations at several brokerage houses and their potential impact on the capital market.

According to market insiders, nearly 100 brokerage houses have come under investigation over the past one and a half years. Around eight to 10 brokerage houses were reportedly inspected or investigated last week alone.

DBA President Saiful Islam said brokerage houses do not oppose inspections or investigations by the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) or the DSE. However, he stressed that regulatory actions should not disrupt normal business operations or negatively affect the stock market.

“Regular inspections and investigations are necessary, and appropriate action must be taken if irregularities are found. But they should be conducted in a manner that does not harm the concerned institutions or the overall market,” he said.

He added that the way some recent investigations at brokerage houses became public had created negative perceptions about the firms as well as the broader stock market.

DSE Chairman Mominul Islam said the exchange’s board does not interfere in the day-to-day activities of its regulatory affairs department and mainly provides policy-level guidance.

He said the DSE would conduct investigations or inquiries whenever it receives information about specific irregularities.

The DSE chairman also urged member firms to promptly resolve any shortfalls involving their CC accounts, shares or other assets. Such deficiencies can disrupt the operations of brokerage houses and damage the reputation of the overall capital market, he noted.

He stressed the need for all stakeholders to perform their responsibilities properly to make the stock market more disciplined, transparent and aligned with international standards.

The DSE said some compliance and surveillance inspections initiated in 2025 remain unresolved. Recent inspections at several brokerage houses were conducted to complete the reports and submit them to the BSEC.

The meeting also stressed the need for clear and transparent criteria for identifying unusual trading. Market participants said high trading volume in a particular stock at a given time should not automatically be treated as an irregularity. Instead, the nature of the transactions, their impact on the share price, investors’ financial capacity and the instructions placed for the trades should all be considered.

Saiful Islam said the DSE board listened to the concerns of brokerage houses in detail and agreed with their views. He added that the DSE managing director had assured the DBA that such problems would not recur in the future.