IFAC President to Visit Bangladesh for First Time at SAFA Conference
More than 500 professionals, policymakers, regulators, academics, and corporate leaders from Bangladesh, South Asi,a and other parts of the world are expected to attend the conference.
The President of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), Jean Bucko, will visit Dhaka for the first time to attend the SAFA International Conference 2026, organised by the South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA).
The conference will be held on 17 January at Hotel Le Méridien in the capital. The motto of this year's conference is "Future-Ready Profession: Integrating Ethical AI and Sustainability Reporting."
The event is being hosted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB). The information was shared at a press conference held at ICAB on Wednesday (14 January).
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According to the organisers, Adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Md Touhid Hossain will attend the opening ceremony as the chief guest.
Special guests will include Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur and Financial Institutions Division Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Nazma Mobarek.
ICAB said its presence reflects the government's commitment to strengthening ethical standards and international cooperation in the accounting and financial sectors. At the closing session, the chief guest will be BIDA Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun.
Special guests will include Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman and Chairman of the Financial Reporting Council Dr Md Sazzad Hossain Bhuiyan.
More than 500 professionals, policymakers, regulators, academics and corporate leaders from Bangladesh, South Asia and other parts of the world are expected to attend the conference.
Representatives from SAARC countries, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives and Afghanistan, will take part, making the event an important platform for regional dialogue.
The conference will feature three technical sessions: Professional Landscape Reshaped by Ethics and Technology; Beyond Numbers: The Evolving Role of Professional Accountants; and From Framework to Outcome: Sustainability Assurance.
The event will also include the SAFA leadership handover ceremony.
Former ICAB President Mohammad Humayun Kabir FCA will assume office as SAFA President, while ICAB Chief Operating Officer Mahbub Ahmed Siddiqui FCA will take charge as SAFA Executive Secretary.
Mohammad Farhad Hossain, former ICAB President and Chair of the Conference Organising Committee, will present a summary of discussions from the inaugural and technical sessions.
ICAB President NKA Mobin, Vice President Md Roknuzzaman, council members Jarin Mahmud Hossain and Md Amran Hossain, former president Mohammad Farhad Hossain, CEO Shubashish Bose, and COO Mahbub Ahmed Siddiqui were also present.
