File Photo

CHATTOGRAM, March 09, 2026 (BSS) - Chittagong Stock Exchange PLC (CSE) hosted a momentous event, “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality,” in celebration of International Women's Day 2026 on Sunday. 

This year's global theme, "Ring the Bell for All Women and Girls: Rights, Justice, Action," resonated with CSE's commitment to promoting gender equality and empowerment, said a press release.

The "Ring the Bell" programme, celebrated by stock exchanges worldwide, is supported by the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative, World Federation of Exchanges, UN Women, UN Global Compact, and International Finance Corporation. 

The primary objective of this initiative is to raise awareness about the significance of gender equality for business and sustainable development.

Presiding over the event, M. Shaifur Rahman Mazumdar, FCA, FCMA, Managing Director of CSE, along with Chief Regulatory Officer, Mohammed Mahadi Hassan, CFA, and other distinguished officials, highlighted the importance of fostering an inclusive workplace.

In his welcome address, Mazumdar said, “In solidarity with the domestic and international community, we at CSE set new commitments every year by celebrating Women's Day and pledge to further strengthen the work environment.” 
In view of this year's theme, she said, a plan will be made to regularly monitor the steps taken to provide a standard environment for women workers and to make the monitoring work more smoothly through coordination of various departments. 

“I think that CSE is already providing a conducive, tolerant, balanced participation and healthy competition environment not only for its female employees but also for all respected officers/employees. We are trying to find out how this environment can be further improved, equality can be continuously increased, and women's empowerment can be ensured so that a more conducive and trusting environment are ensured. If we can provide equal opportunities for women to implement gender equality in every field, overall progress can be ensured,” she added. 

Every year, she said, there are many changes observed worldwide compared to the previous year, and at the same time, this change is also seen in the ecosystem. 

“While we have progressed in many fields, there has not been sufficient progress in some fields. Therefore, we have to be more careful in practical fields while keeping the goal fixed. The exchange and its associated institutions should coordinate and monitor the steps taken by them, analyze them regularly, and maintain continuity of development work accordingly,” she added.

 Mohammed Mahadi Hassan, CFA, an important aspect to ensure equal opportunities in all types of work in the corporate work environment is its proper practice in personal life. 

“That is, starting from the individual, we have to be more careful and continue the practice in all areas. In addition, there is an opportunity for equal work in CSE and we are determined to continue this trend,” she added.
 
Mohammed Mazbah Uddin, General Manager and Head of Information Technology said, there are examples of women employees in CSE working based on their qualifications and working with equal efficiency with their male colleagues. 

“We hope that they will take on more new challenges and move forward successfully. In addition, women have come a long way overall and have the opportunity to develop further if given the opportunity,” she added.
 
Md. Mortuza Alam, General Manager and Head of TREC Marketing Services said, “We could do a lot. In the corporate world, we are observing this day regularly, as well as setting goals and moving forward with continuous change. But our appeal is that many more steps need to be taken, starting from the individual level to the government level, and we need to be specific about observing it in a balanced manner.”

 General Manager and Head of Business and Market Development Department, Mohammad Monirul Haque said, Considering the socio-economic context, CSE is working on gender equality in line with international themes and continuous efforts will continue to improve it.
 
“Participated women expressed in their opinions such , we have to go through change not just one day but every day. We have to take visible steps by understanding the purpose of the day. We have to take responsibility for creating that environment from our families,” he added.

He said that women need to be given their rightful place of respect, be it at home or at work.

In some cases, there is still a lot of distrust towards women, he said, so if they get the right environment and support, they too will be successful individuals, businessmen, entrepreneurs, and colleagues. 

“And this practice must start from every family. The working environment must be optimized for both men and women, not just women, both inside and outside the home, and all risk factors must be identified and addressed appropriately,” he added.
 
Other CSE officials also shared their insights and experiences during the event. 

In his closing remarks, Mazumdar thanked everyone for their participation and valuable contributions. The celebration concluded with the honoring of female officers with flowers and mementos, along with the presentation of a special crest to one of its female executives, recognizing her as the ‘Woman of the Year’ from the CSE family.