B Mirror Report: Bangladesh’s stock market is set to undergo significant changes within the next year, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has said, highlighting the government’s plans to reform the country’s financial system and strengthen capital market-based financing.
He made the remarks while addressing the inauguration of World Investor Week 2026 as the chief guest at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh auditorium in Dhaka on Sunday.
The minister said the government was bringing major changes to the country’s financial structure, public financial management and private-sector financing mechanisms, stressing that Bangladesh could no longer rely heavily on funding from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He emphasized the need to reduce borrowing costs for businesses, noting that high-interest bank loans undermine the competitiveness of Bangladeshi industries in international markets. Developing the capital market and bond market as alternative sources of financing is therefore essential, he added.
Khasru said the government was exploring ways to mobilize funds by leveraging assets from major infrastructure projects and their potential future revenues. Initiatives are also underway to securitize the Padma and Jamuna bridges to raise funds from the market.
Referring to the country’s ambition to become a $1 trillion economy by 2034, he said Bangladesh must move beyond dependence on international development partners and increasingly mobilize resources directly from the market.
He noted that Bangladesh requires around $50 billion annually, while international development partners collectively provide approximately $10 billion, making alternative financing channels increasingly important.
The minister also said the government had cancelled the IMF programme, arguing that the conditions imposed by the international lender were not acceptable to Bangladesh.
He expressed optimism about investor interest in the country’s capital market, saying both domestic and foreign investors were ready to invest. However, he cautioned that the anticipated transformation would depend on avoiding unexpected setbacks.
Khasru also urged financial institutions and market-related organizations to strengthen self-regulation rather than waiting for directives from regulatory authorities.
He stressed that institutions must take greater responsibility for their operations, ensure transparency in financial reporting and develop internal mechanisms to maintain accountability.
The minister cited the experience of transferring the responsibility for issuing utilization declaration (UD) certificates from the Export Promotion Bureau to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association as an example of effective self-regulation.
He said a stronger culture of self-regulation across institutions would help facilitate the government’s broader reform agenda and support sustainable economic development.
The event was attended by Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Masud Khan, Financial Institutions Division Secretary Nazma Mobarek, Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority Chairman Mir Nadia Nivin and other officials.
