Bangladesh’s capital market regulator has approved the appointment of Nuzhat Anwar as the new managing director of Dhaka Stock Exchange PLC (DSE), bringing an end to a lengthy leadership gap at the country’s main stock market.
The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) confirmed on 18 December that Anwar will serve a three-year term. The role had been vacant since May last year, following the resignation of ATM Tariquzzaman, with the exchange operating under interim arrangements in the meantime.
Anwar joins the DSE with more than 20 years of experience across financial markets, banking and development finance. Most recently, she worked at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, where she held several senior leadership positions covering Africa and South Asia.
During her time at IFC, Anwar also served as country officer for Botswana and Namibia. In that role, she was involved in establishing IFC’s presence in Gaborone and advancing a sustainable investment agenda, including supporting IFC’s first investment in Botswana.
Her professional background includes expertise in capital management, treasury and liquidity management, transaction services, portfolio optimisation and market advocacy. These areas are widely viewed as central to strengthening and modernising Bangladesh’s capital market infrastructure.
Earlier in her career, Anwar spent 16 years in commercial banking, holding senior management roles at Citibank Bangladesh and Standard Chartered Bank Bangladesh.
Reacting to the regulatory approval, DSE Chairman Mominul Islam said the board and its nomination and remuneration committee had spent the past year conducting a thorough search for a suitable candidate.
He said Anwar’s leadership skills, combined with her experience in both domestic and international financial markets, position her well to steer the exchange forward.
“We are confident that Nuzhat is the right candidate to lead the DSE in the days ahead,” he said, adding that the exchange would proceed with the remaining internal formalities to onboard her as soon as possible.
