The request was made by DSE Chairman Ahmed Iqbal Hasan to US Ambassador Harry K Thomas when he visited the bourse yesterday to see its activities.

"We expect further investments from your country for the development of securities market of Bangladesh," Hasan said in a written statement to the US envoy.

The ambassador held a courtesy meeting with DSE officials and exchanged views on various aspects of Bangladesh's capital market now undergoing reforms.

Thomas, however, expressed his satisfaction over the activities of the bourse and the reforms, DSE officials told journalists at a briefing after the visit.

The capital market of Bangladesh is improving for the reforms and introduction of technologies, the envoy was quoted as saying by the bourse officials.

The DSE chairman told the US ambassador that Bangladesh being a small developing country is facing difficulties in efficient management of the securities market.

"To address such difficulties, technical cooperation and assistance from the United States, will be of immense benefit to us," he said.

The DSE officials briefed the envoy about the current market situation, electronic transaction and central depository system, which is likely to go live within a month.

The DSE management is now making efforts to restore the confidence of American investors in capital market as many US companies went back after 1996 share scam.

"Foreign investors are now silent," the DSE chairman said replying to a question at the briefing. He, however, requested all to invest carefully.

The visit of the US ambassador was part of a DSE plan to interact with ambassadors and foreign agencies concerned to have an international exposure.

"This type of meetings will help build a positive image of the market which will attract investors from home and abroad," the DSE chairman said.

He further said if the DSE authority does not allow people to know the real situation of the capital market, it would not be possible to bring investment.

Cleveland Charles, head of economic/commercial office of the US embassy in Dhaka accompanied the American envoy during the visit.

Former chairmen of DSE Imtiyaz Husain and MA Haq Hawlader, present Vice-chairman M Abdullah Bokhari, a number of councillors and Chief Executive Officer Salahuddin Ahmed Khan were present on behalf of the bourse.