The role of Financial Market and Institution in the Economic Development of Bangladesh

Financial market
Financial market is created to satisfy particular preferences of market participants.
Financial markets transfer funds from those who have excess funs to those who need
funds. That is they facilitate the transfer of funds from surplus unit to deficit unit.
Because funding needs vary among deficit units, various financial markets have been
established. The primary market allows for the issuance of new securities, while the
secondary market allows for the sale of short term securities, while capital markets
facilitate the sale of long term securities.
The main participants of financial market can be classified as households, businesses and
government agencies. Those participants who provide funds to the financial markets are
called surplus unit. Households are the main type of surplus unit. Participants who use
financial markets to obtain the funds are called the deficit unit.
Financial market can be classified into two categories they are given below-

Financial market
Money market
Capital market
Ideas about these two markets are as follows

Money market:
Money market an integral part of the financial market of a country. It provides a medium
for the redistribution of short term loan able funds among financial institutions, which
perform this function by selling deposits of various types, certificate of deposits and
discounting of bills, treasury bills etc. The participants in the money market are: the
central bank, commercial banks, the government, finance companies, contractual saving
institutions like the pension funds, insurance companies, savings and loan associations
etc. The instruments that are generally traded in the money market constitute: treasury
bills, short-term central bank and government bonds, negotiable certificates of deposits,
bankers acceptances and commercial papers like the bills of exchange and promissory
notes, mutual funds etc.
The money market in Bangladesh is in its transitional stage. The various constituent parts
of it are in the process of formation, while continuous efforts are being made to develop
appropriate and adequate instruments to be traded in the market. At present, government
treasury bills of varying maturity, Bangladesh Bank Bills and Certificates of Deposits etc
1

The role of Financial Market and Institution in the Economic Development of Bangladesh

in limited supply are available for trading in the market. However, the short-term credit
market of the banking sector experienced a tremendous growth since liberation. In 1999,
a total of about 6000 branches of the scheduled banks provided short-term credit
throughout the country in the form of cash credit, overdraft and demand loan. The rates of
interest are determined by the individual banks and as such the market is quite
competitive. Each bank maintains its liquidity and supply of fund is arranged throughout
the country with the help of an interconnected network of branches. Bangladesh bank as
central bank of the country exercises its role in this market through the use of instruments
such as bank rate, open market operations and changes in statutory liquidity
requirements. The money market of Bangladesh reached its present phase through a
series of changes and evolution. Initially, after liberation, money market was the major
constituent part of the financial market of the country. Capital market, its other segment
was a relatively smaller part. All financial institutions of the country were nationalized
after liberation. The growth and evolution of money market in the country took place
during the period from 1971 to the early eighties under various sets of interventionist
rules and regulations of the government and as such it could hardly reflect the actual
market conditions. However, in this period a vast financial superstructure with large
network of commercial bank branches was established in the country. Simultaneously,
specialized financial institutions under government sector also emerged with the
objective of mobilizing financial resources and channeling them for short, medium and
long-term credit and investments. The market participants had to operate in an
environment of directed lending and loan disbursement goals, and predetermined rates of
interest fixed by the authority. However, rate of interest in the call market was flexible
but due to prevalence of liberal refinance facility at concessional rates from Bangladesh
Bank, the activities of call money market remained insignificant.

Capital market:
Capital Market the market, or realistically, the group of interrelated markets, in which
capital in financial form is lent or borrowed for medium and long term and, in cases such
as equities, for unspecified periods.
The capital markets, in distinction from other parts of the financial market that is, the
money markets, are those for long-term government securities, corporate bonds, stocks,
municipal bonds issued by state and local government units, and mortgages. Industry and
commerce as well as government and local authorities raise capital from the capital
market which performs several important functions in the process of economic
development. Most important among them are the promotion of savings and investment
and efficient allocation of funds among competing uses. Participants in the capital
markets are many. They include the commercial banks, saving and loan associations,
credit unions, mutual saving banks, finance houses, finance companies, merchant
bankers, discount houses, venture capital companies, leasing companies, investment
banks, investment companies, investment clubs, pension funds, stock exchanges, security
companies, underwriters, portfolio-managers, and insurance companies.

The role of Financial Market and Institution in the Economic Development of Bangladesh

The growth of capital market in Bangladesh was very slow because of the highly
regulated economic regime and market imperfections. Long-term funds required by
industrial enterprises were generally provided by government-owned development
finance institutions (DFIs) at concessional and directed interest rates. The DFIs are the
Bangladesh Shilpa Bank, Bangladesh Shilpa Rin Sangstha, Bangladesh Krishi Bank and
the rajshahi krishi unnayan bank. The Bangladesh Small & Cottage Industries
Corporation (BSIC) is another institution that provides medium and long-term loans to
small industries either directly or through a consortium of commercial banks. Bangladesh
house building Finance Corporation provides long-term loans for construction of
residential houses. DFIs generate their investible funds through allocations from
government sources, credit from international financial institutions, and borrowings from
the Bangladesh bank. Co-operative banks in the country provide medium and long-term
credit for purchase of land and agricultural equipment.

Role financial market in economic development:

Role of depository institutions:
A major type of financial intermediary is the depository institutions, which accepts
deposits from surplus units and provides credit to deficit units through loans and
purchases of securities. Depository institutions are popular financial institutions for the
following reasons:

They offer deposit accounts that can accommodate the amount and liquidity
characteristics desired by most surplus units.
They repackage funds received from deposits to provide loans of the size and
maturity desired by the deficit units.
They accept the risk on loan provided.
They have more expertise than individual surplus units in evaluating the
creditworthiness of deficit units.
They diversify their loans among numerous deficit units and therefore can absorb
defaulted loans better than individual surplus units could.

The depository institutions and there roles are given below

Bank:
The financial system of Bangladesh consists of Bangladesh Bank (BB), the central bank,
4 nationalized commercial banks (NCB), 5 government owned specialized banks, 30
domestic private banks, 10 foreign banks and 28 non-bank financial institutions. The
financial system also includes insurance companies, stock exchanges and co-operative
banks. As the central bank, Bangladesh Bank has legal authority to supervise and regulate
3

The role of Financial Market and Institution in the Economic Development of Bangladesh

all the banks. Although the financial system includes other players like insurance
companies, stock exchanges and co-operative banks, but Bangladesh Bank doesnt
regulate these institutions. Each of the institution is regulated by different authorities. The
insurance companies are regulated by Ministry of Commerce; Stock exchanges are
regulated by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Cooperative banks are
regulated by Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives.
Banks

Bangladesh Bank

Nationalized commercial
banks
Private banks
Foreign banks
Specialized banks

Financial markets allow the transformation of claims on multi-year illiquid investment

projects into liquid tradable securities. Financial institutions acquire and process
information about investment projects on behalf of their depositors, while prices in
financial markets reflect different information and opinions on new ideas and projects.
While market participants have developed techniques to overcome market frictions, the
government has an active role to play in providing the infrastructure for financial
service provision, i.e. the rules within which firms and household contract with each
other and perform financial transactions.
The banking system at independence consisted of two branch offices of the former State
Bank of Pakistan and seventeen large commercial banks, two of which were controlled
by Bangladeshi interests and three by foreigners other than West Pakistanis. There were
fourteen smaller commercial banks. Virtually all banking services were concentrated in
urban areas. The newly independent government immediately designated the Dhaka
branch of the State Bank of Pakistan as the central bank and renamed it the Bangladesh
Bank. The bank was responsible for regulating currency, controlling credit and monetary
policy, and administering exchange control and the official foreign exchange reserves.
The Bangladesh government initially nationalized the entire domestic banking system
and proceeded to reorganize and rename the various banks. Foreign-owned banks were
permitted to continue doing business in Bangladesh. The insurance business was also
nationalized and became a source of potential investment funds. Cooperative credit
systems and postal savings offices handled service to small individual and rural accounts.
4

The role of Financial Market and Institution in the Economic Development of Bangladesh

The new banking system succeeded in establishing reasonably efficient procedures for
managing credit and foreign exchange. The primary function of the credit system
throughout the 1970s was to finance trade and the public sector, which together absorbed
75 percent of total advances.
The government's encouragement during the late 1970s and early 1980s of agricultural
development and private industry brought changes in lending strategies. Managed by the
Bangladesh Krishi Bank, a specialized agricultural banking institution, lending to farmers
and fishermen dramatically expanded. The number of rural bank branches doubled
between 1977 and 1985, to more than 3,330. Denationalization and private industrial
growth led the Bangladesh Bank and the World Bank to focus their lending on the
emerging private manufacturing sector. Scheduled bank advances to private agriculture,
as a percentage of sectoral GDP, rose from 2 percent in FY 1979 to 11 percent in FY
1987, while advances to private manufacturing rose from 13 percent to 53 percent.

List of banks in Bangladesh:

The commercial banking system dominates Bangladesh's financial sector. Bangladesh
Bank is the Central Bank of Bangladesh and the chief regulatory authority in the sector.
The banking system consists of four nationalized commercial Banks, around forty private
commercial banks, nine foreign multinational banks and some specialized banks. The
Nobel-prize winning Grameen Bank is a specialized micro-finance institution, which
revolutionized the concept of micro-credit and contributed greatly towards poverty
reduction and the empowerment of women in Bangladesh.

Central Bank
Nationalized Commercial Banks
Private Commercial Banks
Foreign Banks
Specialized Banks
References
External links

Central Bank: Bangladesh Bank

Persuant to Bangladesh Bank Order, 1972 the Government of Bangladesh reorganized the
Dhaka branch of the State Bank of Pakistan as the central bank of the country, and named
it Bangladesh Bank with retrospective effect from 16 December, 1971.

Nationalized Commercial Banks:

The banking system of Bangladesh is dominated by the 4 Nationalized Commercial
Banks , which together controlled more than 54% of deposits and operated 3388 branches
(54% of the total) as of December 31, 2004[1]. The nationalized commercial banks are:
5

The role of Financial Market and Institution in the Economic Development of Bangladesh

Sonali Bank
Janata Bank
Agrani Bank
Rupali Bank

Private Commercial Banks:

Private banks are the highest growth sector due to the dismal performances of
government banks (above). They tend to offer better service and products.

AB Bank Limited
BRAC Bank Limited
Eastern Bank Limited
Dutch Bangla Bank Limited
Dhaka Bank Limited
Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd
Pubali Bank Limited
Uttara Bank Limited
IFIC Bank Limited
National Bank Limited
The City Bank Limited
United Commercial Bank Limited
NCC Bank Limited
Prime Bank Limited
SouthEast Bank Limited
Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited
Social Investment Bank Limited
Standard Bank Limited
One Bank Limited
Exim Bank Limited
Mercantile Bank Limited
Bangladesh Commerce Bank Limited
Mutual Trust Bank Limited
First Security Bank Limited
The Premier Bank Limited
Bank Asia Limited
Trust Bank Limited
Shahjalal Bank Limited
Jamuna Bank Limited
Foreign Banks
6

The role of Financial Market and Institution in the Economic Development of Bangladesh

Citigroup
HSBC
Standard Chartered Bank
Commercial Bank of Ceylon
State Bank of India
Habib Bank
National Bank of Pakistan
Woori Bank
Bank Alfalah
ICB Islami Bank

Specialized Banks:
Out of the specialized banks, two (Bangladesh Krishi Bank and Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan
Bank) were created to meet the credit needs of the agricultural sector while the other two
( Bangladesh Shilpa Bank (BSB) & Bangladesh Shilpa Rin Sangtha (BSRS) are for
extending term loans to the industrial sector[1]. The Specialized banks are:

Grameen Bank
Bangladesh Krishi Bank
Bangladesh Shilpa Bank
Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank
Bangladesh Shilpa Rin Sangstha
Basic Bank Ltd (Bank of Small Industries and Commerce)
Bangladesh Somobay Bank Limited(Cooperative Bank)
The Dhaka Mercantile Co-op

Roles of the Regulatory institutions in the Capital Market of Bangladesh:

In order to stimulate rapid economic growth of a country particularly through
industrialization and mobilization of domestic savings, appropriate institutions in the
capital market are essential. The capital market in Bangladesh is governed by the
following institutions.
The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC): Security and Exchange Commission
(SEC) was formed to supervise the securities market of Bangladesh in June 09, 1993.
SEC is a dynamic body regulating the activities of capital market on the basis of
introducing regulatory measures from time to time. SEC has been set up not only to
control the capital market but also to give protection to investors. Capital market is
regulated by the Security and Exchange organization Act 1993 and Companies Act 1994
and rules and regulation trade there under.
The major Function and Responsibilities of the SEC are:
Regulating the business of stock market determination and regulation of the
business of brokers, sub-brokers, share-transfer agents, and manager/brokers to
7

The role of Financial Market and Institution in the Economic Development of Bangladesh

the issues, underwriters, portfolio managers, investment consultants and other

middlemen related to security dealings.
Registration, control and management of mutual funds of joint fund schemes.
Development monitoring and control of self regulated bodies related to security
dealings.
Prohibition of insiders fraudulent deals treated to securities of security markets.
Prohibition of unauthorized trading.
Takeovers and management of companies and shares or stock.
Spreading investment education
Calling information from and inspection, investigation or audit of security issues,
stock exchanges and related parties.
Carrying out research into and publication of information on security related
matters.

Stock Exchange:
Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE): Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the first bourse of the
country was established in 1954. It is regulations and run by its own Board comprising of
nine elected councilors and three councilors nominated by the government.
The Major Functions of DSE:
Providing listing rules to give assurance that the issuance of a companys
securities has conformed to legal requirements.
Providing disclosure rules.
Publication of monthly journal, showing performance of the market as well as
listed companies.
Provide floor for transaction.
Ensure adequate volume of trade leading to liquidity.
Provide reasonable level of fairness in deal making and trading.
Registering, monitoring security prices.
Provide adequate instruments and technical aids for prompt and smooth trading.
Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE): Bangladesh government approved Chittagong Stock
Exchange s a second bourse of the country on February 12,1995, in order to accelerate
industrial growth for overall benefit of the economy. Chittagong Stock Exchange was
incorporated as public limited company on April 1, 1995. Since then, it has accomplished
some innovative functions.
The Role of Chittagong Stock Exchange: the major role of Chittagong Stock Exchange
is to create an effective, efficient and transparent market of international standard to save
and invest in Bangladesh in order to facilitate the competent entrepreneurs to raise
capital.

The role of Financial Market and Institution in the Economic Development of Bangladesh

Other roles are:

Seek explanation from the listed company(s) on any reasonable ground,
Delist any company for some specific reasons.
Extend time schedule for AGM/EGM.
Observe AGM/EGM time schedule.
It can take any legal action against the listed companies for violation of listing
regulations or for not fulfilling the continuous listing requirements.
The Investment Corporation of Bangladesh: one of the dominant players of the
financial market in Bangladesh is Investment Corporation of Bangladesh, the
establishment of Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB) on October 1,1976, was a
major step in a series of measures undertaken by the government to accelerate the pace of
industrialization and develop a well organized and vibrant capital market.
The Major Activities of ICB are:
Act as a catalytic agent to encourage and broaden the base of investors.
Development the capital market through mobilizing savings.
Provide financial assistance in the form of underwriting, issue of securities, IPO
placement, and trustee to debenture issue of IPO facilities over industrial project/
companies.
ICB provides investment counsel to issuers and investors.
Participate I government dis-investment programme.
Finance joint venture project.
Provide credit facilities to invest in IPO and in listed securities.
Manage eight close-end mutual funds and an open-end (unit fund) to mob savings
and to support the stock market.
CB is also playing a leading role in the stock exchanges. Since inception, ICB
has been playing a dominant role to ensure a healthy and well organized
secondary market.

Insurance Companies:
Insurance a system of spreading the risk of one to the shoulders of many. It is a contract
whereby the insurers, on receipt of a consideration known as premium, agree to
indemnify the insured against losses arising out of certain specified unforeseen
contingencies or perils insured against. Thus insurance companies provide insurance
policies to individuals and firms that reduce the financial burden associated with death,
illness and damages to property. They charges premiums in exchange for the insurance
that they provide. They invest the funds that are received as premium in different sectors
until the funds are needed to cover the insurance claims. Thus through investing the funds
in different sectors, they serve as important financial intermediaries.
Insurance is not a new business in Bangladesh. Almost a century back, during British rule
in India, some insurance companies started transacting business, both life and general, in
Bengal. Insurance business gained momentum in East Pakistan during 1947-1971, when
49 insurance companies transacted both life and general insurance schemes. But after the
liberation, the government of Bangladesh nationalized insurance industry in 1972 by the
9

The role of Financial Market and Institution in the Economic Development of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Insurance (Nationalization) Order 1972. Through this process all 49

insurance companies and organizations transacting insurance business in the country
were placed in the public sector under five corporations. These corporations were: the
Jatiya Bima Corporation, Tista Bima Corporation, Karnafuli Bima Corporation, Rupsa
Jiban Bima Corporation, and Surma Jiban Bima Corporation. The Jatiya Bima
Corporation was an apex corporation only to supervise and control the activities of the
other insurance corporations, which were responsible for underwriting. Tista and
Karnafuli Bima Corporations were for general insurance and Rupsa and Surma for life
insurance. The specialist life companies or the life portion of a composite company
joined the Rupsa and Surma corporations while specialist general insurance companies or
the general portion of a composite company joined the Tista and Karnafuli corporations.
Consequently, on 14 May 1973, a restructuring was made under the Insurance
Corporations Act 1973. Following the Act, in place of five corporations the government
formed two: the Sadharan Bima Corporation for general business, and Jiban Bima
Corporation for life business.
Up to 2000, the government has given permission to 19 general insurance companies and
10 life insurance companies in the private sector. Insurers of the country now conduct
almost all types of general and life insurance, except crop insurance and export credit
guarantee insurance, which are available only with the Sadharan Bima Corporation.
Some of the insurance companies that are working in Bangladesh are:
General Insurance Company
National Insurance Company
Bangladesh Co-operative Insurance Ltd.
American Life Insurance Company Ltd. (ALICO)
United Insurance Company etc.

Role of Insurance Company:

Insurance companies are working as important financial intermediaries in the economic
development of the country. Some of the role performs by the insurance companies are They financially supports individuals and firms in case of any financial burden.
Reinsure the ins
Leasing Companies:
Lease Financing Lease is a contract between the owner and the user of assets for a certain
time period during which the second party uses an asset in exchange of making periodic
rental payments to the first party without purchasing it. Under lease financing, the lessee
regularly pays the fixed lease rent over a period of time at the beginning or at the end of a
month, 3 months, 6 months or a year. At the end of the lease contract the asset reverts to
the real owner.
Legally, a leasing company is defined as one having the business of hiring plants or
equipment or of financing their hire by others. The International Finance Corporation
promotes leasing as a method of financing industrial development in the developing
countries as a part of its capital market development strategies.
10

The role of Financial Market and Institution in the Economic Development of Bangladesh

The functions of a lease business include lease financing, short-term financing, house
building financing, and merchant banking and corporate financing. The leasing business
in Bangladesh moved away from regular leasing activities and is now involved in stockmarket related activities such as issue management, underwriting, trust management,
private placement, portfolio management, and mutual fund operation. Broad capital
market operations of the lease financing institutions include bridge financing, corporate
counseling, mergers and acquisition, capital restructuring, financial engineering, and
lease syndication.
The leasing companies now operating in the country are Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh
United Leasing Company
GSP Finance Company (Bangladesh)
Uttara Finance and Investments
Bay Leasing and Investment
Phoenix Leasing Company
Prime Finance and Investment
International Leasing and Financial Services
Union Capital
Vanik Bangladesh
Peoples Leasing and Financial Services
Bangladesh Industrial Finance Company
UAE-Bangladesh Investment Company
Bangladesh Finance and Investment Company and
First Lease International.

11