Asif Ali (auditor general)
{{Short description|Bangladeshi general}}
Asif Ali is the 9th comptroller and auditor general of Bangladesh.{{Cite news |last=Ali |first=Asif |title=Environmental auditing |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2005/06/24/d50624180299.htm |access-date=2023-10-14 |work=The Daily Star}}
Career
Ali joined the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation in 1982 as a member of the Martial Law Committee.{{Cite web |title=Mr. Asif Ali |url=https://cag.org.bd/former-cag/mr-asif-ali |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321170512/https://cag.org.bd/former-cag/mr-asif-ali |archive-date=21 March 2023 |access-date=14 October 2023 |website=Comptroller and Auditor General}} In 1991, he was a member of the National Pay Scale Implementation Committee. He was the chairman of the Accounts Consolidation Task Force.
On 3 January 2003, Ali was sworn in as the comptroller and auditor general of Bangladesh by Chief Justice Mainur Reza Chowdhury.{{Cite news |date=2003-01-03 |title=Asif Ali takes oath as CAG |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/asif-ali-takes-oath-as-cag |access-date=2023-10-14 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} He replaced Ahsan Ali Sarkar as comptroller and auditor general of Bangladesh. In 2004, the minister of finance, M Saifur Rahman, criticized the Comptroller and Auditor General for reporting 'insignificant issues' which led to negative perceptions of Bangladesh and use of the reports by Transparency International.{{Cite news |title=Saifur slams auditor's office for tinkering with 'trivial matters' |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/08/31/d4083101088.htm |access-date=2023-10-14 |work=The Daily Star}}
In 2006, Ali was included in the Capacity Building Committee of the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions.{{Cite news |title=CAG Bangladesh in INTOSAI capacity building committee |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2006/03/06/d60306050658.htm |access-date=2023-10-14 |work=The Daily Star}} He called for information technology-based auditing practices in Bangladesh.{{Cite news |title='IT-based accounting system a must' |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2005/07/27/d50727061177.htm |access-date=2023-10-14 |work=The Daily Star}}
Ali was the comptroller and auditor general of Bangladesh till 1 January 2008. Ahmed Ataul Hakeem succeeded him as the comptroller and auditor general of Bangladesh.{{Cite news |date=2008-02-13 |title=Hakeem takes oath as CAG |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-23206 |access-date=2023-10-14 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} On 31 July 2008, Ali was included in the Truth and Accountability Commission.{{Cite news |date=2008-07-31 |title=Truth Commission gets chief, members |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-48283 |access-date=2023-10-14 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} The Truth and Accountability Commission was established on 30 July 2008 by the Fakhruddin Ahmed led caretaker government to increase the speed of corruption cases.{{Cite web |title=Bangladesh: Truth and Accountability Commission Declared Illegal |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2008-12-15/bangladesh-truth-and-accountability-commission-declared-illegal/ |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=Library of Congress}}{{Cite news |date=2008-04-04 |title=The Truth Commission |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-30625 |access-date=2022-03-28 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Faisal |first=Farhad |date=2008-03-28 |title=Truth commission |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-29525 |access-date=2022-03-28 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} The caretaker government had arrested numerous politicians including former prime ministers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia on corruption charges.{{Cite web |last=Ali |first=AMM Shawkat |title=Truth Commission |url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Truth_Commission |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=Banglapedia}} The commission was made up of a former judge of the Bangladesh Supreme Court Justice Habibur Rahman Khan, Ali, and retired major general Manzur Rashid Chowdhury from the Bangladesh Army.{{Cite news |date=2008-07-31 |title=Truth Commission gets chief, members |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-48283 |access-date=2022-03-28 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina disclosed the names of 456 people who had confessed to the commission in April 2009.{{Cite news |date=2009-04-02 |title=PM discloses list of 456 people seeking Tac clemency |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-82377 |access-date=2022-10-04 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}