The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) on Thursday clarified that the proposed amendments to the margin rules remain in draft form and have not been finalised, describing what it called incomplete and misleading media reports on the matter.

In a press release, it said the 1,020th commission meeting approved a draft proposal to amend the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (Margin) Rules, 2025.

However, before the draft could be published for public feedback, several media outlets carried incomplete, confusing and unrealistic information about the changes, creating unwarranted uncertainty among investors, it said.

The commission said the core objective of the amendment is to remove practical and operational complications that have emerged during implementation of the existing rules, and to make the regulations simpler, more effective and more realistic, thereby easing their application for stakeholders across the market.

The BSEC noted that in drafting the amendment proposal, it took into account the opinions and practical experiences of margin facility users, stock brokers, merchant banks, and other market intermediaries and stakeholders.

The commission's goal, it said, is to establish an effective, realistic and investor-friendly margin management framework.

The regulator further clarified that the amended draft rules have yet to be finalised. The draft approved by the commission will soon be published in national dailies and on BSEC's website for public opinion.

Only after reviewing feedback from stakeholders and the general public, the amendment to the Margin Rules, 2025 will be finalised, it said.

The BSEC urged all concerned to refrain from publishing speculative or partial information about the amended rules before the public opinion process begins, saying such reports create unnecessary confusion.

The commission expressed confidence that once the actual draft is published, all stakeholders will get a clear picture of the purpose, scope and rationale behind the amendment.

The BSEC said it has always worked to give top priority to the interests and safety of investors, and that the amendment to the margin rules is a continuation of that same policy.