Finance Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali has opined that reforms in the accounting system are necessary to meet the needs of international standards and development partners.

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He expressed this opinion in the speech of the chief guest at a discussion meeting organized by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) office of Bangladesh on Saturday.

This discussion meeting was organized at the CAG office in Dhaka on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of the establishment of CAG office and three days of special service activities across the country. Special service activities will continue from May 12 to May 14.

Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh. President of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and Secretary of the Finance Department were the special guests in the event under the chairmanship of Nurul Islam. Md. Khairuzzaman Majumdar.

The finance minister said, in line with the ever-changing global management, economic challenges and the excellence of information technology, besides the conventional compliance and financial audits of international standard audits, performance audits, IT audits and audit reports on environment and climate change should be prepared.

He said that the accounting system needs to be reformed to meet international standards and the needs of development partners. A modern structure of accounts has already been prepared in collaboration with the Audit and Accounts Department. He expressed hope that the transparency of the financial sector will be ensured through the preparation of updated financial utilization accounts.

Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali said, if the audit activities are more effective, efficient and effective use of the government’s financial resources will be ensured. He said that the Ministry of Finance will provide all-out cooperation to increase the service capacity of CAG to complete quality and real-time audits in accordance with the times.

He said that the audit management and monitoring software has been launched by bringing the audit management to the digital platform. Now emphasis should be placed on proper implementation by ensuring its excellence with time. Online management has already been introduced replacing the old method of communication between the auditor and the audit firm.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said that more than four crore audit reports have been settled. More than 3 thousand crore rupees have been collected through this. However, it is a matter of concern that around 235 audit reports have been tabled in Parliament but not discussed.

Finance Department Secretary Dr. Md. Khayeruzzaman Majumdar said, we have done automation. Now pensioners are getting pension money at home. CAG is playing a role in being frugal in our various expenditure areas.

CAG Nurul Islam said, now there is no need to go to the bank to get pension money. Getting at home. We have introduced one stop service. He also mentioned that efficient budget management has been introduced.

It was informed at the event that in 5 years of the 11th National Parliament (2019 to 2023), a total of 81 audit reports were presented to the National Parliament through the President. In the last 5 years, 814 audit objections were discussed in the Standing Committee on Public Accounts of the 11th National Parliament. During this time, 17 Audit Directorates have disposed of lakhs of audit objections as a result of the audit institutions taking action as per the audit recommendations.

In the event, it was also informed that 2 lakh 50 thousand 465 people have received pension e-services through the One Stop Service Center till May 1 in the financial year 2023-24. 20 lakh 48 thousand 512 people have taken GPF e-service. And 4 thousand 91 complaints have been submitted.