The way Riaz cleared CA exams in one and a half years while working at KPMG

Chartered Accountancy (CA) has become one of the most sought-after career paths in Bangladesh. Demand for the ACA designation climbs each year as industries from garment manufacturing to financial services look for professionals who can navigate complex audits, taxes and regulatory frameworks. According to ICAB's, thousands of candidates appear for the certificate stage exam in a single session and over thousands of articled students register every year.

Md Riaz Uddin's journey stands out against this backdrop of fierce competition. Born in Cumilla Sadar South, Cumilla, he completed his schooling at Bijoypur High School before moving on to Cumilla Victoria Government College. He took a degree in finance from the University of Dhaka, and launched into his CA studies while working at KPMG Bangladesh.

"I started in October 2023 and sat for my final exam in May 2025," he recalls, marking a span of just over 18 months to complete all levels and requirements from start to finish. "I tried to correlate as much practical knowledge to my reading as possible and vice versa. Even if I could only study for thirty minutes or an hour each day," he adds, "I made it count." Guidance from his faculty mentor Mohammad Salahuddin Chowdhury FCA and study leave provisions at KPMG helped, but it was his habit of regular revision and relentless focus on core topics that carried him through. Most candidates take around three years to clear all levels; Riaz's pace was exceptionally swift.

Balancing CA papers with a full time role at a Big Four firm demanded careful scheduling. Office hours ran from half past nine in the morning until six in the evening, and traffic could chew up two to three hours of the commute. "After I got home," he says, "I would push through another hour of study. Weekends and study leave periods were reserved strictly for exam preparation. That made all the difference."

The practical phase of CA training-articleship-is equally rigorous. Graduates like Riaz undergo a three year period of supervised practice with a chartered accountant. This immersion in real audits, tax work and financial reporting cements the theoretical learning and builds professional judgment.

Financial rewards for chartered accountants in Bangladesh are strong. Early career professionals with one to three years of experience report total compensation of around Tk 50,000 per month as per industry insiders. As they gain mastery and take on more responsibility, monthly packages can gradually go beyond Tk 100,000 depending on the firm and role. For a young professional, those figures represent significant upward mobility.

Staying motivated through long nights of study and demanding audits takes more than ambition. Riaz credits his mother for the biggest portion of his drive. "She has been my idol since childhood," he says. "Her support pushed me forward when I thought the next exam might break me." Passion for the discipline itself mattered too. He chose CA out of fascination with financial systems rather than necessity. The prestige of the title, global recognition and diverse career avenues all played a part.

Exam day strategies can turn the tide in tough papers. "The most difficult areas were managing time in the exam and keeping head cool as much as possible in papers like Business Planning: Taxation and Compliance or Corporate Reporting. I had to split time for each question and prepare myself accordingly. In addition, as I was a little bit weak in maths, I had to practice a bit to overcome that."

He also mentioned that each segment of the rigorous CA exams require different strategies. For example- for the case study part, he practised as much as possible.

For the examinees he suggests, "Sleep early the night before. Keep your mind calm at the centre. Make your script clear for the evaluator and answer as much as you can. Every mark counts."

For newcomers embarking on the CA path, Riaz shared out a straightforward formula: study consistently, attempt as many papers as the exam board will allow per session given that one has a good preparation and can manage their finances, and balance mathematical and theoretical courses together. "You never know when it will click," he says. "And always have faith that you can pass."

The workplace environment shaped his success as well. At KPMG he studied under principals who stressed discipline and methodological rigour. Peers formed study groups that turned colleagues into accountability partners. Senior mentors offered feedback on scripts and guided him through tough topics.

Now that Riaz has cleared all exams in possibly the nation's record time, he awaits the completion of his training period and the Articleship certificate. After that he plans to launch his own practice. "My dream has always been to establish a chartered accountancy firm of my own sometime in the future," he notes, eyes focused on uncharted horizons.

His story echoes a key insight from Silicon Valley luminary Sam Altman. As Sam Altman wrote in his blog, "Hard work compounds like interest, and the earlier you do it, the more time you have for the benefits to pay off." Riaz's achievement shows how that kind of self belief, matched with steady effort and wise support, can turn an ambitious goal into national news. For students looking to take on challenges early in their careers, his journey offers proof that boundaries exist to be pushed and then remarkable success can follow.

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