DHAKA, March 15, 2026 (BSS) - An event titled "Ring the Bell for Gender 
Equality" marking the International Women's Day was held recently at the 
Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) in the city. 

The programme was jointly organised on March 11 by the DSE, the International 
Finance Corporation (IFC), Sustainable Stock Exchanges, the World Federation 
of Exchanges, the UN Global Compact, and UN Women, said a press release here 
today. 

The event was supported by the Embassy of Denmark and represented by Mr. 
Anders B. Kaelsen, deputy head of Mission.

Shama Obaed Islam, MP, state minister for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
virtually attended the programme as the chief guest while Farzana Lalarukh, 
commissioner of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC), was 
also present as a special guest. 

The theme of this year's International Women's Day was "Rights. Justice. 
Action. For All women and girls".

In her speech, Shama Obaed Islam, through a video message, said that the 
capital market will play a pivotal role in achieving the government's 
economic objectives. 

"We view it as a key indicator of public confidence and trust, which 
ultimately determines the strength and effectiveness of both the market and 
the broader economy. To this end, we are prioritizing several measures, 
including the restoration of transparency and accountability within the stock 
exchange and the regulatory commission. It is essential to move beyond the 
challenges of the past and ensure effective oversight and monitoring going 
forward," she added.

To deepen and expand the market, she said it is essential to introduce new 
products and investment opportunities, enabling individuals and entrepreneurs 
to select options that best suit their needs.

"We must also integrate our local stock market with global supply chains and 
the international trading system. This will create fresh opportunities for 
investors while enhancing market security and liquidity," she added.

DSE Managing Director (MD) Nuzhat Anwar delivered the opening remarks. In her 
address, she stated that when women are empowered, families become stronger, 
societies grow more stable, and nations move forward more firmly on the path 
of development.

Navanita Sinha, deputy country representative of UN Women, said that in 
Bangladesh, women perform approximately 5.8 times more unpaid care work than 
men, while women's representation on the boards of various institutions 
remains limited. Research indicates organizations with greater participation 
of women in leadership positions can achieve up to 21 percent higher 
profitability.

She also said that investing in gender equality is not only economically 
beneficial but also profoundly important from social and ethical 
perspectives. 

Therefore, she emphasized that governments, the private sector, and 
development partners must work collectively to remove existing barriers and 
advance gender equality.

At the end of the speeches, a bell was rung by Anders B. Kaelsen, deputy head 
of Mission, Embassy of Denmark in Bangladesh; Melita Mehjabeen, chairman of 
National Bank PLC; Nazia Kabir, Barrister-at-Law and Partner at Ishtiaq Ahmed 
and Associates; Nuzhat Anwar, managing director of DSE; Navanita Sinha, 
deputy country representative of UN Women; Farzana Lalarukh, commissioner of 
BSEC; Uzma Chowdhury, chairperson of Meghna Bank; Ms. Lopa Rahman, corporate 
governance officer of IFC Advisory Services, South Asia and Mominul Islam, 
chairman of DSE to commemorate International Women's Day.

Following that, a panel discussion titled "Key drivers and strategies for 
women's leadership-unlocking potential and powering economies" was held, 
moderated by Ms. Lopa Rahman.

The panel featured distinguished participants, including Melita Mehjabeen, 
Ms. Uzma Chowdhury, Zareen Mahmud Hosein, Council Member of the Institute of 
Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB); and Nazia Kabir.

The special guest of the programme Farzana Lalarukh said various initiatives 
have been taken to increase women's participation on the boards of listed 
companies in order to ensure good governance in the capital market. 

She further noted that, as the regulatory authority, BSEC is working to 
maintain transparency and accountability in the capital market through the 
formulation of appropriate policies and ensuring their effective 
implementation.

In his closing remarks, Mominul Islam, Chairman of Dhaka Stock Exchange said 
that in the financial sector, women's perspectives on risk assessment are 
often different and can be extremely valuable. Yet, the reality remains that 
their participation across global financial markets-from Wall Street to the 
Dhaka Stock Exchange-is still relatively low.

He further said that, for decades, the global financial system has operated 
within a framework that often prioritizes excessive risk-taking and a 
'winner-takes-all' mentality. 

While this approach may benefit a few, it is not always in the best interest 
of the broader public and can increase the likelihood of major financial 
crises. For this reason, ensuring balanced and diverse representation in the 
financial sector is critically important.