According to the capital markets regulatory body, BSEC, and financial reports of related companies, it is currently known that a total of Tk 2.2 billion of dividends are stuck in the country. These dividends belong to three multinational companies: Berger Paints Bangladesh, Marico Bangladesh, and Reckitt Benckiser Bangladesh. Among them, Berger’s has the highest amount stuck, totaling Tk 1.36 billion, Marico’s Tk 453.3 million, and Reckitt Benckiser’s Tk 384.2 million.
When asked, Khandkar Abu Zafar Siddiqui, company secretary of Berger Paints Bangladesh, told Prothom Alo that since the onset of the dollar crisis in the country in 2022, they have been facing difficulties in remittances to foreign owners. As a result, many dividends are being withheld.
Companies have submitted their dividend allocation reports to several regulatory bodies including Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) and Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE). Along with these reports, the latest financial reports published by the companies indicate that these undistributed dividends have not been considered payable. This information was obtained from a review of reports received from various sources.