The settlement of investors' complaints submitted online declined 14.97 percentage points year-on-year to 32.80 per cent in the last six months.
During the same period - January-June - the number of complaints fell sharply to 146 from 180 in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Against the backdrop of repeated scams committed by brokerage firms and claims of their clients, the insignificant number of complaint submissions and a gradual decline in settlement raise questions whether investors do not trust the digital mechanism to get solutions or whether they face difficulties in submitting complaints using the Customer Complaints Address Module (CCAM).
Using the CCAM, investors can submit complaints about non-payment of cash dividends, non-disbursement of stock dividends, non-payment of sale proceeds and unauthorised sales of shares.
Asked about the insignificant number of complaints submitted online, an official of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) said that apart from the online module, investors have other options to submit complaints.
"They can also submit written complaints," said the DSE official, who preferred anonymity.
On access to the CCAM, the official said the digital module had been developed to facilitate a faster settlement of investors' complaints.
"Investors are required to submit [online] complaints in English. That can be a reason behind the insignificant number of online complaints," the DSE official added.
The CCAM was introduced by the securities regulator in September 2019 as a tool to provide investor protection and redress.
The securities regulator has brought all possible stakeholders, including bourses, stockbrokers, merchant bankers and issuer companies, under the network of the CCAM to facilitate the settlement of grievances.
However, the data shows that complaints were very few even in 2025, and so was the number of settled cases.
A total of 86 complaints out of 180 submitted were settled in the first half of 2025, while 68 out of 146 complaints were settled in the second half of the same year.
Also, 41 out of 125 complaints were settled in the first half of 2026.
The average settlement period of each complaint stands at 22.4 days in the first half of 2026.
After complaint submission, the authorities concerned automatically receive them.
The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) receives an alert from the CCAM if a complaint remains unaddressed after the expected timeframe.
The stock exchanges handle complaints filed against their TREC (Trading Right Entitlement Certificate) holders, while the Central Depository Bangladesh Ltd. deals with complaints against the DPs (Depository Participants).
Other entities, such as merchant banks, listed companies and asset management companies, have been asked to dispose of complaints from their clients directly.
Using the automated system available on the BSEC website, investors, irrespective of their geographical locations, are able to submit complaints and have them addressed.
To lodge a complaint, an investor has to enter the CCAM window on the home page of the BSEC website using their BO (beneficiary owner's) account, cell phone number and e-mail address.
mufazzal.fe@gmail.com
