Dhaka Stock Exchange PLC (DSE) and Swisscontact Bangladesh on Sunday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening small and medium enterprise (SME) participation in the capital market and promoting sustainable and inclusive economic development through Bangladesh’s securities ecosystem.
The agreement was signed at a ceremony attended by senior officials from both organisations, including DSE Managing Director Nuzhat Anwar and Swisscontact Bangladesh Country Director Helal Hossain.
Speaking at the event, Nuzhat Anwar said timely coordination and a clear implementation roadmap have helped facilitate the initiative quickly, which she believes will play an important role in advancing the SME sector. She also stressed the importance of capacity building, improved corporate governance, compliance support and institutional guidance to increase SME participation in the capital market.
Swisscontact Bangladesh Country Director Helal Hossain said SMEs are a major driver of Bangladesh’s economy but continue to face challenges in financing, competitiveness and regulatory compliance. He highlighted the need for alternative financing options and equity-based capital-raising opportunities for SMEs, adding that the partnership with DSE could act as a catalyst in bringing promising enterprises into the capital market.
Under the MoU, both organisations will collaborate in key sectors such as readymade garments (RMG), healthcare and agriculture. The cooperation will also extend to environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, sustainability reporting, entrepreneurship development, financial inclusion, climate resilience, trade facilitation and skills development.
As part of the agreement, the two sides will jointly implement capacity-building programmes, awareness workshops, incubation support and advisory services aimed at encouraging broader participation of SMEs in the capital market.
They also plan to work together on developing sustainable finance instruments, including green bonds, sustainability-linked bonds, sukuk and blended finance models to support long-term investment and growth.
