Staff Reporter :
Many multinational companies operating in Bangladesh have yet to be listed in the capital market, according to Rupali Haque Chowdhury, President of the Bangladesh Association of Publicly Listed Companies (BAPLC) and Managing Director of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited.
Speaking at the CMJF Talk, organized by the Capital Market Journalists Forum (CMJF) in Paltan, Dhaka, on Sunday, Chowdhury highlighted the pressing issue of a shortage of well-established companies in the capital market.“
There is a shortage of good companies in the capital market. To attract both domestic and foreign companies to invest or list in the capital market, the process must be made more appealing,” she said.
Chowdhury emphasized the need for regulatory reforms, particularly in corporate taxation, to create a level playing field.
“We had a corporate tax gap of 15 percent.
The company law should be reviewed for both listed and unlisted companies.
I am not just talking about taxes; we have to level the playing field. Then if it is listed, it will benefit,” she explained.
She further stated that companies often prefer bank loans over initial public offerings (IPO) due to ease of access, despite high-interest rates.
“Why would companies opt for an IPO if they do not get sufficient benefits? They will take loans from banks instead,” she added.
At the event, which was chaired by CMJF President Golam Samdani Bhuiyan and moderated by General Secretary Abu Ali, Chowdhury provided an overview of the current business environment.
In response to a question, she expressed strong opposition to any increase in supplementary duties, including port charges.
“If these duties are raised now, businesses will struggle to cope with inflationary pressures,” she warned.
She reiterated BAPLC’s firm stance against duty hikes and called for favorable policies to encourage companies to enter the capital market.
“If businesses do not see benefits from being listed, they will prefer to collect capital from banks rather than through IPOs,” she concluded.
