Stock market almost a man’s world

The presence of women in Bangladesh's stock market is very low, as only 25 per cent of beneficiary owner's (BO) accounts are owned by them as per the Central Depository Bangladesh's data as of March 4.

The situation is worse compared to that in the previous year when it was around 27 per cent.

The situation is similarly depressing in the brokerage business, when female participation stands at just 8 per cent, according to the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) data. Most got their licence ownership transferred from either their parents or husbands.

Stock market is a risky place and women prefer low-risk generating tools as they face more questions from families if they incur losses, said Khugesta Nur E Naharin, managing director of Modern Securities.

When a man incurs loss, he faces very little question from his family, said the first elected female director of the DSE.

"As women's income level is still low in our country compared to that of men, they face funding problems as well," she said.

In the stock market, an investor needs to take decisions and men do not want to allow women to take decisions, so most of them are running the stock market businesses on their own, said Naharin.

"So, the main problem is our perception," she explained.

Most females who do have a BO account are active in the primary market, she said, adding that female participation in the secondary market was very low.

Actually, the problem persists not only in the stock market but almost everywhere, she added.

"I'm hopeful that the new generation would change the scenario," said Naharin.

Some people think the complexity and risky nature of the business are the main reason for a lower presence of females in the stock market but in reality, that is not the case, said stock investor Tashfia Rahman.

The stock market mainly runs on investments of income-generating people who have extra funds at hand, said Rahman, a mid-level official of a private bank.

As women have to look after their families once they are done with their day jobs, they rarely have the time to ponder over making investments in the stock market, she said.

So, most women prefer to invest in savings certificate or banks deposit, she said.

Many do not even know that now stock market investments can be made totally online, so they do not show any appetite for the market, Rahman added.

The image crisis afflicting the stock market is one reason for it being the least demanded investment tool among women, said Latifa Khayer, another stock investor.

Many women have funds but they assume the market is a place for gambling and they do not want to invest here, she said.