ACCA has announced the winners of its Public Sector Advocate of the Year award for Bangladesh, Mohammod Rashedul Alam Chowdhury FCCA, financial management officer at the Asian Development Bank; for Pakistan, Salman Amin FCCA, a member of the Competition Commission of Pakistan; and for Sri Lanka, Uresha Walpitagama FCCA, a financial sector specialist at the Asian Development Bank.
Chowdhury has played a pivotal role strengthening public sector finance in Bangladesh, both in his work – managing 22 different development projects with an aggregated sovereign loan of US$4.8bn – and more broadly in his community, leveraging his technical expertise, wide network and commitment to advancing others.
One of his key initiatives has been advocating for the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by state-owned entities, a cause he has furthered by engaging with government and peer development banks contacts.
‘I take immense pride in witnessing ACCA students I mentored assume key leadership positions’
Capacity building has been a key theme in his work. He has led targeted training programmes for project financial management staff in the public sector. He works with auditors within Bangladesh’s Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, and the Controller General of Accounts of Bangladesh, conducting public financial management diagnostic assessments. The emphasis is on enhancing their ability to conduct risk-based audits and implement computerised accounting systems, leading to better accountability in public finance.
Throughout his professional journey, Chowdhury has worked to position the ACCA qualification as a benchmark of excellence for employers. His efforts underscore the global recognition that ACCA has for its technical strength and emphasis on ethics and governance.
He has worked to inspire employers to join the ACCA Approved Employer programme, and to invest in students and affiliates by covering membership fees and study costs. His efforts have helped create an environment that values learning and professional growth.
He is delighted to see individuals he has encouraged flourish in their careers. ‘I take immense pride in witnessing ACCA students I mentored grow into full members and assume key leadership positions in finance across their organisations.’
Chowdhury also feels justly proud of his efforts to foster high standards in public sector finances and cultivate a sense of community and supported learning. ‘I am committed to strengthening public sector financial management in my country by collaborating with ACCA to promote transparency, accountability and fiscal discipline’ he says.
Intern focus
Salman Amin has advocated for ACCA since he became a member in 2001, making a meaningful impact within his employer organisations and creating learning opportunities for the wider ACCA community in Pakistan through internships, capacity-building initiatives and advocacy events.
Amin’s advocacy work has established strong ties between ACCA Pakistan and the Competition Commission of Pakistan. Through this he shares knowledge on competition law, mergers and acquisitions, and investigatory approach with the wider ACCA membership as part of their continuing professional development.
The initiative also provides paid internships for ACCA finalists, addressing the lack of practical work experience ACCA students and affiliates at times accrue – a shortfall that can work against them in job interviews. The interns work under the direct supervision of experienced ACCA professionals including Amin.
He has also sought wider working and learning opportunities so that students can gain audit, financial reporting, due diligence, payroll and financial management experience during their internship. ‘It’s been an honour for me to design this multidiscipline framework for the next generation of ACCA students,’ he says.
‘We convey that you have to uphold integrity, ensure confidentiality and be analytically sharp’
Amin is committed to upholding ACCA’s core value of innovation, often creating opportunities to share knowledge around cloud-based and AI technologies. In joint sessions at the commission with academia, business chambers and professional bodies, he also facilitates discussions on maintaining high professional conduct.
‘We convey the message that as an ACCA professional, you have to uphold integrity, you have to ensure confidentiality and you have to be analytically strong in your work and output,’ he says.
Inclusive finance
Uresha Walpitagama’s commitment to building financial transparency, advancing the cause of inclusive finance and promoting sustainable public sector practice have been core ambitions throughout her career.
At the Asian Development Bank (ADB), she has worked on multiple projects to enhance finances for SMEs, promoting national financial stability. From 2023, in the aftermath of 2019’s Easter attacks in Sri Lanka and the economic crisis that ensued, her focus at the ADB was centred on initiatives to restore economic stability. ‘During that time, most of my work was focused on supporting the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka,’ she says.
Initially, the three entities worked together on policy reforms. ‘This year, I co-led a third project, the culmination of years of dedicated reform work, focusing on building long-term resilience and ensuring sustainable service delivery,’ she says.
Walpitagama has continuously worked to share her knowledge, contribute to policy discussions and promote inclusivity in Sri Lanka and across Asia. For example, she is the team lead for the country on the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) and has become instrumental in its wider promotion.
‘I wanted to show that ACCA professionals can be leaders’
‘Sri Lanka was one of the first to sign the We-Fi code, and now we are replicating the experience elsewhere. I present at knowledge events, and other countries are gaining from our experience.’
As a member of the ACCA Global Forum for the Public Sector and Global Forum for SMEs, she contributes to roundtables and feeds into public sector standard development and policy discussion.
She is also passionate about advancing the role of the accountant. Throughout her career has challenged herself and colleagues to work outside of traditional roles such as financial management or audit and take on policy formulation roles or roles at the highest levels in public finance. ‘I wanted to show that ACCA professionals can be leaders,’ she says.
