Press Release
Dhaka, 20 February 2025: Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has expressed concern over the secrecy surrounding the draft of the Public Audit Bill 2024 and urged the government to make it public immediately to gather feedback from relevant stakeholders and experts.
According to media reports, the draft of the Public Audit Bill 2024 is being finalized through a non-transparent process, involving only the Ministry of Finance, select government institutions, a donor agency, and the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh.
Terming the move unfortunate, TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, “The long-awaited draft of the Public Audit Bill 2024 has been limited to input from a ministry, departments, offices, agencies, and the World Bank. But is financial oversight and auditing solely the concern of the government and an influential international financial institution? This bill will serve as a legal tool to ensure transparency in the use of public funds. Therefore, excluding civil society and relevant stakeholders from the consultation process is unacceptable. We urge the immediate public release of the draft to gather feedback from all relevant stakeholders and experts in the public interest.”
Referring to the recommendations of TIB’s study titled “Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh: Governance Challenges and Way Forward”, Dr. Zaman said, “We have long been advocating for the strengthening of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) as a constitutional institution. Based on our research findings, we have made specific recommendations, including the approval of the proposed audit law, organizational structure, and appointment rules, following discussions with relevant stakeholders. Key among these recommendations was the importance of ensuring the CAG’s independence from political and bureaucratic influence. We had expected the interim government to take steps to strengthen the CAG as a constitutional institution. However, with the review of the draft audit bill being limited to government agencies and the World Bank, it raises concerns that efforts are still being made to keep the CAG under the control of national and international bureaucracies, much like during the authoritarian regime. It is important to remember that the CAG is not a subordinate entity to the government, any specific ministry, or domestic or foreign bureaucracy—it is a constitutional institution, ultimately accountable to the people. Therefore, we call for the immediate release of the draft act on the website, allowing sufficient time for interested stakeholders to provide their comments. The finalization of the draft act should be carried out in a transparent and participatory process, incorporating the feedback received.”
Media Contact:
Mohammad Tauhidul Islam
Director, Outreach and Communication
Phone: +8801713107868
Email: tauhidul@ti-bangladesh.org
