The interim government has decided to bring state-owned profitable companies and multinational firms with government stakes into the stock market.

"For example, the government holds shares in Unilever. Measures will be taken to offload those shares in the market," said the Chief Adviser's (CA) Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam.

He said the decision was made at a high-level meeting chaired by CA Muhammad Yunus today (11 May).

Based on the issues discussed at the meeting, the CA issued five key directives, including the aforementioned one, aimed at revitalising and modernising the market.

Yunus instructed the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) to explore incentive mechanisms to attract large domestic private companies — some of which have annual turnovers of $2–3 billion — to the capital market.

He specifically mentioned major business conglomerates like City Group and Meghna Group, which have large ventures, and directed authorities to take steps to bring them into the market.

In another directive, CA Yunus also instructed to bring in a team of foreign experts to reform the country's stock market effectively.

These experts, with no vested interest in Bangladesh's capital market, will be tasked with delivering actionable reform recommendations within three months, said Shafiqul.

Today's meeting was attended by Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed, Special Assistant to the CA Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, BSEC Chairman Khondoker Rashed Maqsood, and Financial Institutions Division Secretary Nazma Mobarek.

At the start of the meeting, Maqsood gave a brief presentation outlining the progress and reform measures taken in the stock market over the past nine months.

"Many vested interests exist within the stock market," said Shafiqul. "Even when reform initiatives are taken, they are often obstructed by these groups. To counter this resistance, a team of foreign experts — free from any local conflicts of interest — will be engaged."

"They will propose ways to modernise the market and protect investors and stakeholders. They will submit a report within three months," he said.

Shafiqul also noted that several entities operating in the capital market face allegations of corruption and irregularities. The CA has directed immediate action against those involved in such activities.

Furthermore, the CA discouraged large syndicated loans taken by major companies and urged a shift in focus toward capital raising through the market — via bonds or share offerings — instead of relying on bank loans.

The chief adviser has also instructed officials to take necessary measures to encourage companies to raise capital through the stock market rather than through excessive borrowing.