Stocks
HC Quotes: Why SME Market not open for all?
HC: High Court wants to know why the small capitalized companies (SMEs) in DSE are not open to all investors. At the same time, even if there is a floor price, why it is not present in the SME, the High Court has given a notice to BSEC to show the reason in this regard. The High Court has suspended the investment limit in the SME for the next three months & has ordered BSEC to respond in this matter within the next 7 working days.
In the meantime, on Sunday, November 13, Judge Md. Ashfakul Islam and Md. Suhrawardy filed a writ in a High Court bench comprising. Business News Portal published the news from Orthosongbad that headlined ‘Falling prices in SMEs, investors fear loss of capital’‘ and attached as a source in the writ petition. This information is known from related sources.
According to sources, BSEC has mandated a minimum investment which limits of Tk 30 lakh for investing in SME platforms. In this Writ, ensuring investment facilities in SMEs for all, guidance is asked on the imposition of floor price. Writ No. 13749 filed in High Court Bench. Advocate Mustafa Kamal of the Supreme Court filed the writ on behalf of Raju Hasan.
It was known that the BSEC, the capital market regulatory body, cancel the OTC market of two stock exchanges (DSE and CSE) on September 16 last year. On that day, the commission decided to delist 29 companies and transfer 41 companies to SME and ATB (Alternative Trading Board).
Later, the same last year, September 30, trading started on the SME platform of the DSE. On that day, transactions were initially launched on DSE’s SME platform with 6 companies. Currently there are 15 companies listed in SME. Out of this, the shares of 13 companies are being traded regularly.
The investment amount for the latest SME platform investment was determined on September 22 this year. In an order signed by BSEC Chairman Professor Shibli Rubayat-Ul-Islam, it is stated that to be an eligible investor in the SME Trades, there should be a minimum investment of 30 lakh takas in the stock market.
According to the sources, it has been mentioned that restricting investment in SMEs is against the constitution.
In the meantime, the share price of the SME Platform increased at the beginning of the trading, but later the price of most of the shares fell below half. On November 2, Orthosongbad published a news regarding this issue.
One of the Listed companies, National Polymer Limited has recommended 10.50% Cash Dividend for the year ended June 30, 2024.
It has reported Consolidated EPS of Tk 2.27 paisa, and Consolidated NAV per share of Tk 30.63 for the year ended March 31, 2024.
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company will be held on December 18, through the digital platform. The record date for this has been fixed at October 22.
The Company also discloses its financial reports for the second quarter, (April – June 24).
As per the company’s consolidated life revenue account for April to June 2024, the excess of total income over total expenses, including claims (surplus), stood at Tk 1,394.24 million. This marks a significant increase from the surplus of Tk 823.68 million during the same period in 2023.
For the first half of 2024, from January to June, the company reported a surplus of Tk 2,177.57 million, compared to Tk 1,290.39 million in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Additionally, the Life Insurance Fund balance as of June 30, 2024, reached Tk 55,188.62 million, showing a net increase of Tk 5,892.25 million from Tk 49,296.37 million on June 30, 2023.
One of the Listed companies, Beacon Pharmaceuticals PLC has recommended 20% Cash dividend and 10% Cash Dividend to Sponsor Shareholder and Directors for the year ended June 30, 2024.
It has reported EPS of Tk 2.26 paisa, and NAV per share of Tk. 26.37 for the year ended June 30, 2024.
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company will be held on December 23, through the digital platform. The record date for this has been fixed at October 27.
The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has removed three audit firms from its panel for their failure to secure enlistment with the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), according to a notice issued today.
The firms—A Hoque & Company, FAMES & R, and SK Barua & Company Chartered Accountants—were delisted following the FRC’s request. In December last year, the FRC published a list of enlisted audit firms and subsequently, in February, requested the BSEC to remove any firms that were not included on that list.
BSEC regulations mandate that financial statements signed by auditors outside its approved panel will not be accepted. With the removal of these three firms, the total number of audit firms on the BSEC panel has been reduced from 48 to 45.
Sources from the FRC revealed that 15-20 audit firms failed to secure enlistment last year, and approximately 45 chartered accountants are currently under restrictions imposed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Although the delisted firms can no longer audit issuer companies or listed securities, they are allowed to complete audit and assurance services that were initiated before their removal, the BSEC clarified.
