Accountants vow to fight corruption

The SAFA International Conference 2014, a congregation of accountancy professionals in South Asia, begins today (Tuesday) in the city aiming to identify the ways for accountants to contribute more to the national economy.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB), a member of South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA), is organising the day-long conference themed on "Accountants for Growth: Perspective South Asia" at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city.
Abbas Uddin Khan FCA, council member of the ICAB and chairman of the SAFA Conference organising committee, announced the event at a press conference at the ICAB office in the city Monday.
ICAB president Showkat Hossain FCA, its past presidents ASM Nayeem FCA, Md Syful Islam FCA and Md Syful Islam FCA, vice president Kamrul Abedin FCA and council member AF Nesaruddin FCA also attended the press conference.
"Participants at the SAFA conference will try to find out the ways on how to contribute more to the national development and to ensure accountability and transparency, thus reducing corruption in the country," Mr Abbas Uddin Khan said.
Around 500 delegates from the local, regional, and international accounting bodies are expected to take part in the conference to exchange their views and expertise.
"The ICAB hopes that the professional accountants will get useful ideas to identify, evaluate challenges of economic growth of the country," Mr Khan said.
The conference is segregated into two parts: The first part includes inaugural session and three technical sessions while the second is valedictory session.
Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed will inaugurate the conference as the chief guest while finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith will grace the valedictory session as the chief guest.
At the opening ceremony, SAFA president CA Subodh Kumar Agrawal will be the special guest and Dr Mustafa Kamal Mujeri, director general of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), will present a keynote paper.
ICAB council member and past president Anwaruddin Chowdhury FCA, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) president Naeem Akhter Sheikh FCA, and Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) central council member CA Jay Ajit Chhaira will present separate technical papers on "Public Private Partnership in Development Strategy," "Chartered Accountants: Transparency and Accountability," and "Business and Profession for Development Strategy" respectively in different technical sessions.
Formed in 1984, SAFA promotes the accounting profession regionally and internationally, Mr Khan said, adding that its members currently comprises of accountancy bodies in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka; Bhutan, Maldives, Afganistan are observers of SAFA.
Its mission is to bring the accounting bodies together at a common forum and facilitate professional cooperation in the areas of education, training, technical and ethical standards, he said.
Citing the government's projected GDP growth of 7.3 per cent in the budget for the fiscal year 2014-15, Mr Khan underlined the need for cooperation from CAs to help reduce corruption and achieve the economic growth.
"We believe that it (projected GDP growth) is achievable provided that the strategy road map is worked out on ideas of economists and CAs," he said.
"… We (CAs) can reduce corruption (by audit in the country)," Mr Nesaruddin said and stressed the cooperation between the government and the CAs ti eliminate the menace from the country.