Bangladesh has raised the proportion of women on boards to nearly one in five seats, ahead of South Asia. Yet only 6 percent of independent directors are women. The task now is to build a credible pipeline of qualified women for oversight roles that protect accountability and market trust. The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has extended to December 2025 the deadline for appointing at least one female independent director. Deadlines alone do not create leaders; pipelines do.

Recent Dhaka Stock Exchange data show women hold 6 percent of independent director seats, up from 5 percent in 2024, and 19 percent of overall board seats, compared with South Asia’s 13 percent. Globally, women occupy about 20 percent of board seats. The EU targets 40 percent by 2026, and the US is nearing 30 percent. Without a stronger talent pool, Bangladesh risks losing ground. In banking, the pipeline narrows from 19 percent at the entry level to 6 percent as independent directors. This is less a failure of talent than of structure, visibility and opportunity.

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