Trade Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin has called for maintaining good economic practices to sustain economic development. He said that professional accountants can play a key role in this.
He said this while speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of the South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA) International Conference 2025 organized by the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB) on Friday (July 18) morning.
Sheikh Bashiruddin said, “In the past ten months of working in the government, I have seen that a truly golden future awaits our country. If we can ensure transparency and accountability and distribute wealth equitably, then it is possible to overcome the position we are in. And if that does not happen, then a kleptocracy will be created. We are working relentlessly to get out of the circle of kleptocracy.”
He said, in the past, we have seen how billions of dollars have been laundered by manipulating economic records. In most cases, money laundering has been done with business in mind. As a result of widespread irregularities over a long period of time, a lot of criminal capital has been created, which has led to the destruction of fair competition in the business market. The current government has taken initiatives to stop unfair competition in business, he added.
The South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA) is an organization of accounting professionals in South Asia. The theme of this year’s conference is – “Reform. Reskill. Reimagine: The Future of Bangladesh Economy”. About 600 professional accountants, economists, policy-makers, corporate leaders and business leaders from SAARC countries are participating in this conference.
Secretary of the Ministry of Industries Md. Obaidur Rahman, President of South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA) Ashfaq Yusuf Tola, Chairman of Financial Reporting Council Dr. Md. Sajjad Hossain Bhuiyan, President of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB) NKA Mubin and President of Institute of Cost Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB) Mahtab Uddin Ahmed spoke as special guests.
The keynote address was delivered by eminent economist, CPD Board of Trustees Member and Distinguished Fellow Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya.
Leading figures from the economy, banking, industry, education and technology sectors of SAARC countries participated as discussants in the three technical sessions of the conference. In these, detailed discussions were held on GDP, economic growth, artificial intelligence and automation, and the changing role of accounting professionals in the changing global trading system.
