Bangladesh, July 27 -- The securities regulator has extended the deadline for listed companies to appoint at least one female independent director to their boards by one year, to December 2026, after many firms said they were struggling to find qualified candidates.

Advertisement In a directive issued on Sunday, the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) revised the compliance deadline for the requirement under the Corporate Governance Code, 2018, from December 2025 to December 2026.

The extension follows requests from listed companies and market stakeholders, who cited difficulties in identifying eligible and qualified female professionals to serve as independent directors within the stipulated timeframe.

The requiremen...