B Mirror Report: Bangladesh’s stock market had a decline in foreign investment in 2025. According to data from the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), foreign investors withdrew Tk 270 crore in investments over the course of the year due to economic challenges, market volatility, and pre-election concern.
According to DSE figures, in 2025, foreigners sold shares worth a total of Tk 2,095 crore while buying shares worth Tk 1,825 crore. As a result, their net investment fell by Tk 270 crore by the end of the year.
Market analysts say that ahead of the February 2026 elections, foreign investors remained cautious amid political and economic uncertainty, leading them to continue withdrawing investments throughout the year.
However, there are early signs of improvement in the post-election period. Transaction data for the first fifteen days of February (1–15 February) shows that foreign investors’ activity increased by 48 percent compared to the same period last year, rising to Tk 173 crore from Tk 116.63 crore a year earlier.
Md. Ashekur Rahman, Managing Director (MD) of Midway Securities, said that after the election, there are signs of new funds entering the market. Many investors are turning toward emerging and frontier markets. He added that if the capital market operates normally during this period and quality shares become more available, foreign investment could also increase.
According to DSE data, foreign net investment fell by Tk 261 crore in 2024. Over the past eight years, foreign investment was negative in seven years, with 2023 being the only year of positive net investment, amounting to Tk 64 crore.
In 2025, foreign investors had positive positions in five of the twelve months. They were particularly active in buying shares from May to August, which pushed the DSEX index upward. However, from September to December, they consistently sold shares, withdrawing their investments.
Nevertheless, foreign transactions (combined buying and selling) in 2025 increased by 8 percent compared to the previous year, reaching Tk 3,920 crore.
