Muhammad Ayub Ali :
The exodus of foreign investors from Bangladesh’s capital market continues amid a persistent market downturn and ongoing instability within regulatory bodies.
According to data from Central Depository Bangladesh Limited (CDBL), the number of Beneficiary Owners’ (BO) accounts held by foreign investors stood at 46,360 as of April 2025, down from 46,691 at the end of 2024.
This represents a decline of 331 accounts within the current year, with 134 accounts closed in April alone and 147 in March.
This declining trend began in November 2023 and has continued uninterrupted for over a year. From November 2023 to April 2025, the number of BO accounts held by foreign investors dropped by more than 9,000.
In contrast, despite unfavourable market conditions, the number of BO accounts held by local investors is on the rise. Approximately 7,500 new local investor accounts were opened this year.
Notably, during the tenure of the interim government-installed following the fall of the Hasina administration-the number of local BO accounts has increased by over 20,000.
CDBL data shows that as of 26 March 2025, the total number of BO accounts in the stock market stood at 1,688,067, up from 1,668,058 on the day the previous government fell.
This marks an increase of 20,009 BO accounts, with 19,172 opened since the interim government assumed responsibility.
A BO account is essential for investors to participate in the capital market, as all transactions must be conducted through these accounts. The CDBL manages and maintains information related to BO accounts.
Market analysts have attributed the continued deterioration of the capital market not only to the withdrawal of foreign and expatriate investors but also to the lack of high-quality listings from both foreign and local companies.
Experts emphasise that for sustainable development and stability in the market, it is imperative to make the investment environment more attractive for both domestic and international firms.
