Speakers at a webinar on Thursday said Bangladesh is striving very hard to achieve sustainable development goals by 2030 wherein gender equality is included. Accountancy like all professions, businesses and industries needs to embrace, utilize and engage women with all their talents and capabilities.
The observed that women are engaged in the practice of public accounting, which involves providing statutory audit, Internal Audit, Taxation, Forensic Audit and consultancy services to the general public and also working in the governmental sector, whether it be at local or national levels.
The webinar on “Gender issues in the public accountancy profession: a global perspective” was organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB).
Dr. Nahid Rashid, Secretary to the Government, Former Additional Secretary, Economic Relations Division (ERD) and Former Commercial Counsellor to Bangladesh Mission in India graced the occasion as the chief guest.
Abdur Rahman Khan FCMA, President, the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB) & Additional Secretary, Finance Division, Ministry of Finance attended as special guest. ICAB President Md. Moniruzzaman FCA delivered address of welcome.
Dr. Javed Siddiqui, Professor of Accounting, Alliance Manchester Business School, The University of Manchester, UK presented the keynote paper.
Barrister Nihad Kabir, Former President, Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry participated as Panel Discussant while Parveen Mahmud FCA, past president-ICAB and Chairperson, General Body, RDRS Bangladesh conducted the session as session chairman. ICAB CEO Shubhashish Bose gave introductory speech while its Vice President MBM Lutful Hadee FCA delivered closing remarks.
ICAB President Md. Moniruzzaman said, women are an integral part of the population whose service to the G.D.P. is pertinent. Now-a-days many women accountants are privately employed by small and large business entities and not-for-profit organisations.
They work in areas of product costing and pricing, budgeting, and the examination of investment alternatives or they serve as internal auditors, who look at controls and procedures in use by their employer. They also serve as in-house tax accountants, financial managers, or countless other occupations, he added.
He further said, women who take on high-level positions in the accounting field, such as partner in a firm, can also create a culture of leadership that can inspire the next generation of women accountants to continue striving toward their own career advancement.
