Bangladesh backs rule-based global economic cooperation: Touhid

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Saturday reaffirmed Bangladesh's commitment to a rule-based international order and collective global action, stressing dialogue and cooperation to address shared economic challenges.

"As a responsible neighbor and an active member of the United Nations and other international bodies, Bangladesh advocates for a rule-based international order and collective action in addressing global economic challenges. We support active engagement to promote dialogue, confidence-building, and cooperative solutions to shared concerns," he said.

The adviser was speaking as chief guest at the inaugural session of the SAFA International Conference on "Next Generation Profession: Converging Ethical AI and Sustainability Reporting" in the city.

Touhid said Bangladesh remains engaged with multilateral institutions to promote stability, trust and cooperative solutions.

The foreign adviser said the convergence of ethical artificial intelligence and sustainability reporting is increasingly relevant as technological innovation transforms professions worldwide, while global emphasis grows on transparency, accountability and responsible governance.

He said for Bangladesh, the integration of technology and sustainability is crucial to sustaining economic growth and strengthening global integration, noting that professionals must remain not only technically capable but also ethically grounded and socially responsible.

Touhin Hossain said platforms such as the SAFA conference provide important opportunities for knowledge exchange, sharing of best practices and fostering collaboration among professionals across the region and beyond.

He expressed encouragement that the conference brought together experts, practitioners and thought leaders from South Asia and other regions, saying their discussions would help guide the next generation of professionals by balancing integrity, accountability and innovation.

Meanwhile, experts at the conference said the global accounting profession is entering a new phase as Ethical Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Sustainability Reporting begin to converge, reshaping business risk, investor expectations and public trust.

Organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB), the conference was themed "Next Generation Profession: Converging Ethical AI and Sustainability Reporting".

Delegates from Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka participated in the event, which featured three technical sessions and a valedictory session.

Bangladesh Competition Commission Chairperson AHM Ahsan and Financial Reporting Council (FRC) Bangladesh chairman Dr Md Sajjad Hossain Bhuiyan attended as special guests.

Ahsan said technological advancement presents both opportunities and challenges, noting that while AI-driven systems can boost efficiency and strengthen compliance, they also pose risks such as algorithmic collusion, opacity and exclusionary practices without strong ethical safeguards.

For the first time in Dhaka, ICAB hosted Jean Bouquot, President of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), along with Ashfaq Yousuf Tola, Adviser to the South Asian Federation of Accountants, as Guests of Honour.

Bouquot said greater transparency in financial disclosure combined with AI adoption could enable professionals to deliver services more efficiently, stressing the global relevance of ethical AI and sustainability reporting.

ICAB President NKA Mobin delivered the welcome address, while Muhammed Farhad Hussain, Past President of ICAB and Chairman of the Conference Organising Committee, also spoke.

The keynote address was delivered by Past President of ICAB and Senior Partner at Rahman Rahman Huq, Chartered Accountants, Adeeb Hossain Khan.

He said the adoption of AI in sustainability reporting is "no longer a distant concept, but a structural shift already influencing how economic value is created, measured, and disclosed."

Khan urged the profession, regulators and standard-setters to work together to ensure AI-enabled sustainability reporting remains transparent, explainable and aligned with global standards and investor confidence.