Change auditor firm in accordance with law: BASIS President

Members of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) are criticising the step to change its auditor firm without approval at the annual general meeting of the organisation.

The Basis Board of Directors appointed an audit firm, Mijan & Co. to conduct the audit while a firm named Adhikari & Co. was appointed as an auditor later.

However, Basis President Russell T Ahmed has said the interests of BASIS members are their top priority.

"We changed the auditor firm following the legal norms to protect the interests of the organisation. It was decided that Basis should be audited by a firm named Mijan & Co. But when the company later shared their unwillingness to complete the job due to unavoidable circumstances, a company named Adhikari & Co. was given the responsibility for auditing per the law. Adhikari & Co. received the due NOC from Mijan & Co. in accordance with the rules," he said.

Russell T Ahmed said that if the appointed auditor is unable to perform duties for whatever reason, the company law of Bangladesh requires the appointment of a new auditor.

He also said they had spoken to the Auditor Regulatory Council, BASIS senior members, relevant legal experts, and various stakeholders in this context.

"Following several mandatory legal procedures and to protect the interests of BASIS, we have changed the auditor firm. Why and in what process have we done this work? We will present the matter in detail before the general members at the AGM to be held on March 16," he added.

In this regard, Barrister Kazi Ershadul Alam, an expert in corporate law, said that changing the auditor firm of BASIS was not illegal. However, it has been irregular, which should be brought into order and regularised in general meetings later.