The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has invited fundamentally sound companies in port city Chattogram to get listed on the stock market, according to a press release issued by the regulator today.

BSEC Chairman Khondoker Rashed Maqsood extended the invitation to company representatives at an event organised at the Radisson Blu Chattogram Bay View on Monday.

Attendees of the event included top officials from PHP Group, BSRM Group and Pacific Jeans.

Maqsood said many companies in the country have huge goodwill and are contributing to the economy in many ways. "We hope these types of companies will be listed on the stock market."

If a well-performing company goes public, it has a positive impact on the stock market and the company also benefits, he added. "As such, the stock market regulator has been inviting good companies to get listed."

All three commissioners of the BSEC -- Md Mohsin Chowdhury, Ali Akbar and Farzana Lalarukh -- were present at the event, where entrepreneurs and BSEC officials discussed the problems and potentials of listing a company.

Alihussain Akberali, chairman of the BSRM Group, said when a firm gets listed, good governance and accountability are ensured in the company.

He recommended keeping sponsors' shares in a dematerialised (demat) format to ensure there is no scope to engage in any illegal activity during the process.

Demat is the move from physical certificates to electronic bookkeeping. They are among the most accurate forms of record keeping, offering more security and increased speed.

Sufi Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, chairman of PHP Group, and Syed Mohammed Tanvir, managing director of Pacific Jean Group, also spoke at the event.