Enterprises both in public and private sectors will remain weak unless they ensure corporate governance, the speakers told the closing session and certificate distribution ceremony of a two-day conference titled 'Capacity Building Conference on Corporate Governance for SoEs' in Dhaka on Thursday.

Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) organised the conference where 42 participants from various ministries, SoEs (state-owned enterprises), and regulatory bodies took part.

Commerce Secretary Md Abdul Karim attended the programme as the chief guest. BEI President Farooq Sobhan chaired the session.

Abdul Karim said the SoEs have to ensure corporate governance to make profits in a competitive environment.

Farooq Sobhan emphasised the need for extensive training for SoEs executives to ensure corporate governance.

He said Bangladeshi companies especially the SoEs lag far behind when it comes to ensuring corporate governance compared to the companies in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The BEI started capacity building programmes in 2002 with a comprehensive study of the corporate governance practices in Bangladesh.

Two international experts -- Michael Gillibrand, co-founder and consultant for Common-wealth Association for Corporate Governance, and YRK Reddy, chairman Yaga Consulting and Founder Trustee of the Academy of Corporate Governance in India, conducted the conference.