ISA Framework & Standards Map ISA 200
The International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) are issued by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), a standard-setting body under the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). In Bangladesh, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB) has adopted the Clarified ISAs as Bangladesh Standards on Auditing (BSAs), which are substantively identical.
The ISA Architecture at a Glance
| ISA Series | Topic | Key Standards |
| 100–199 | Introductory Matters | ISA 200 – Overall Objectives; ISA 210 – Engagement Terms |
| 300–499 | Risk Assessment & Planning | ISA 300, 315, 320, 330 |
| 500–599 | Audit Evidence | ISA 500, 501, 505, 510, 520, 530, 540, 550, 560, 570, 580 |
| 600–699 | Using Others' Work | ISA 600, 610, 620 |
| 700–799 | Audit Conclusions & Reporting | ISA 700, 701, 705, 706, 710, 720 |
| 800–899 | Specialised Areas | ISA 800, 805, 810 |
The Audit Process: High-Level Flow
01Pre-Engagement
02Planning
03Risk Assessment
04Fieldwork
05Completion
06Reporting
ISA 200 — Core Principle
The overall objective of the auditor is to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes an opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high but not absolute level of assurance.
1. Client Acceptance & Continuance ISA 220 ISQM 1
Before accepting any audit engagement, the firm must assess whether it is appropriate to do so. This is both a quality control obligation (ISQM 1) and an ethical requirement (IESBA Code of Ethics). For continuing engagements, this review is repeated annually.
New Client Acceptance Checklist
- Assess independence — identify all partners, staff, and firm financial interests that could create threats
- Assess competence — does the firm have sufficient industry knowledge and resources (e.g., banking sector expertise, IT auditors)?
- Obtain predecessor auditor communication (ISA 510) — inquire about reasons for change, disagreements with management, fraud suspicions
- Conduct KYC/AML checks on directors and beneficial owners
- Assess management integrity — litigation history, press clippings, regulatory sanctions
- Evaluate whether engagement risk (inherent, control, detection) is acceptable
- Obtain engagement partner approval before formally accepting
- Document the acceptance decision in the client acceptance form
Real-Life Example — Banking Sector (Bangladesh)
Scenario: A mid-tier audit firm is approached to audit a newly licensed non-bank financial institution (NBFI). The chairman has previously been cited in a Bangladesh Bank investigation for loan irregularities at another entity.
Action: The firm's EQCR partner reviews the public Bangladesh Bank circulars, reviews newspaper archives, and contacts ICAB's ethics help desk. Given the identified integrity concerns and the fact that the firm lacks a dedicated financial sector audit team, the firm declines the engagement — documenting the decision in the rejection memo with specific reasons.
CLIENT ACCEPTANCE / CONTINUANCE EVALUATION FORM
[FIRM NAME] — QUALITY CONTROL
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Client Name : _______________________________
Engagement Type : Statutory Audit / Tax / Both
Financial Year : _______________________________
New / Continuing : [ ] New [ ] Continuing (Year ___)
Engagement Partner : _______________________________
Date of Assessment : _______________________________
SECTION A — INDEPENDENCE CHECK
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1. Does any partner/manager hold shares in the client? [ ] Y [ ] N
2. Any family relationship with key management? [ ] Y [ ] N
3. Any loans/guarantees between firm & client? [ ] Y [ ] N
4. Recurring fee dependency > 15% of firm revenue? [ ] Y [ ] N
5. Conflict with existing client portfolio? [ ] Y [ ] N
Note: Any "YES" must be resolved before acceptance.
Independence threat identified? [ ] Y [ ] N
If Y, safeguard applied: ___________________________
SECTION B — INTEGRITY ASSESSMENT (Management & Owners)
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1. Known regulatory sanctions/fraud allegations? [ ] Y [ ] N
2. Pending litigation material to the entity? [ ] Y [ ] N
3. History of disputes with predecessor auditors? [ ] Y [ ] N
4. KYC/AML screening passed (Ultimate Beneficial Owner)? [ ] Y [ ] N
Sources checked: Bangladesh Bank website / BSEC / Court records
/ Newspaper archives / ICAB registry
SECTION C — COMPETENCE & RESOURCES
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1. Industry (Banking/NBFI/Manufacturing/etc.): ____________
2. Firm has sufficient industry expertise? [ ] Y [ ] N
3. Adequate qualified staff available? [ ] Y [ ] N
4. Specialist required (IT/Actuary/Valuation)? [ ] Y [ ] N
If yes, identified specialist: ________________________
SECTION D — PREDECESSOR AUDITOR (New Engagements only)
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Previous auditor contacted? [ ] Y [ ] N [ ] N/A
Date of communication: ___________
Key matters disclosed:
- Reason for change: _______________________________
- Unresolved disagreements: _______________________
- Fraud/irregularities: ____________________________
- Outstanding fees: ________________________________
SECTION E — DECISION
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ACCEPT [ ] DECLINE [ ] CONDITIONAL [ ]
Conditions (if any): _______________________________
Reason for decline: _________________________________
Engagement Partner Signature: ____________ Date: ______
Quality Control Partner: ____________ Date: ______
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Ref: ISQM 1 Para. 26-29; ISA 220 Para. 12-13; IESBA Code Sec. 510-521
This form must be retained in the permanent audit file for a minimum of 7 years per ISQM 1 requirements.
Predecessor Auditor Communication (ISA 510)
For initial engagements, the incoming auditor must communicate with the predecessor. In Bangladesh, this is governed by ICAB's Ethical Standards. The predecessor must respond unless legally prohibited. Key areas of inquiry include opening balances, contentious accounting policies, and any concerns about management integrity.
[On Firm Letterhead]
Date: _______________
[Name of Previous Audit Firm]
[Address]
Dear Sir/Madam,
Re: [CLIENT NAME] — Proposed Appointment as Statutory Auditor
Financial Year Ended: _______________
We have been approached by the management of [Client Name] (hereinafter "the Company")
to consider accepting appointment as statutory auditors for the above financial year.
The Company has informed us that your firm is the incumbent auditor.
In accordance with ICAB's Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics, we seek your
professional courtesy communication on the following matters:
1. Whether there are any professional reasons why we should not accept this
appointment, and if so, details thereof.
2. Whether there have been any disagreements with management on accounting
policies, financial statement presentation, or audit procedures.
3. Whether, to your knowledge, there is any fraud or suspected fraud involving
management, employees, or third parties that affected or may have affected
the financial statements.
4. Whether any matters of significance remain unresolved as at the date of your
last audit report.
5. Any other matters that, in your professional judgment, we should be made
aware of before accepting the appointment.
We confirm that we have obtained client consent to contact you and that any
information shared will be treated with strict professional confidentiality.
Please respond within 14 days of this letter. If we do not receive a response,
we will interpret your silence as indicating no professional reason for non-acceptance.
Yours faithfully,
_______________________
[Engagement Partner Name], FCA
For and on behalf of [Firm Name], Chartered Accountants
Encl: Client consent letter dated _______________
Ref: ISA 510.6 — ISA 300.13 — ICAB Code of Professional Conduct, Part B, Section 510
2. Engagement Letter ISA 210
ISA 210 requires the auditor to agree on the terms of the audit engagement with management (or those charged with governance). The engagement letter is the formal written record of this agreement and must be renewed or updated when terms change materially.
Mandatory Contents of an Engagement Letter
- The objective and scope of the audit
- Responsibilities of the auditor (ISA 200)
- Responsibilities of management (for financial statements, internal controls, and providing complete information)
- Identification of the applicable financial reporting framework (IFRS/BFRS/BFRS for SMEs)
- Form and content of any reports to be issued
- Fee basis and billing arrangements
- Basis for resolution of disputes
- Access to records, documents, and personnel
- Limitation of liability (if legally permissible)
[On Firm Letterhead]
Date: _______________
Ref: [Firm Ref No.]
The Board of Directors
[Client Company Name]
[Registered Address]
Dear Members of the Board,
AUDIT ENGAGEMENT LETTER — FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED [DATE]
You have requested that we audit the financial statements of [Company Name]
("the Company"), which comprise the statement of financial position as at
[date], and the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income,
statement of changes in equity and statement of cash flows for the year then
ended, and notes to the financial statements, including material accounting
policy information.
We are pleased to confirm our acceptance of this engagement. This letter sets
out the terms of our engagement.
1. OUR OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE
We will conduct our audit in accordance with Bangladesh Standards on Auditing
(BSAs), which are based on International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) issued
by the IAASB. Those standards require that we comply with ethical requirements,
plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the
financial statements are free from material misstatement.
An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the
amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The procedures selected
depend on the auditor's judgment, including the assessment of the risks of
material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error.
Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk
that some material misstatements of the financial statements will not be
detected, even though the audit is properly planned and performed in accordance
with BSAs.
2. MANAGEMENT'S RESPONSIBILITIES
Our audit will be conducted on the basis that management acknowledges and
understands that it has responsibility for:
(a) The preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in
accordance with Bangladesh Financial Reporting Standards (BFRSs);
(b) Such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable
the preparation of financial statements that are free from material
misstatement, whether due to fraud or error;
(c) Providing us with:
• Access to all information relevant to the preparation of financial
statements including records, documentation and other matters;
• Additional information that we may request from management for the
purpose of the audit; and
• Unrestricted access to persons within the entity from whom we
determine it necessary to obtain audit evidence.
3. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES
We will issue a written report upon completion of our audit. We will also
communicate to you, as those charged with governance, any significant matters
arising during the audit including significant deficiencies in internal control
identified during the audit (ISA 265).
4. INHERENT LIMITATIONS
Our audit is not designed to detect all instances of fraud or error. We will
communicate to you any matters that come to our attention during the audit
which we believe warrant your attention.
5. FEES
Our fees will be based on time spent by our partners and staff at applicable
charge rates. A fee estimate of BDT _________ has been discussed with you,
subject to the scope of work as agreed. Invoices will be submitted as work
progresses and are payable within 30 days.
Please confirm your agreement to the terms of this letter by signing and
returning the enclosed copy.
Yours faithfully,
_______________________
[Partner Name], FCA
[Firm Name], Chartered Accountants
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & ACCEPTANCE
We confirm on behalf of [Company Name] that we have read, understood and
agree to the terms of this engagement letter.
Signed: _________________________
Name: _________________________
Title: Director / CEO / CFO
Date: _________________________
Ref: ISA 210.10 — Appendix 1. This letter should be revisited when: (a) there is indication that management misunderstands the objective/scope; (b) revised terms are required; (c) significant changes occur in the entity or reporting framework.
3. Overall Audit Strategy ISA 300
The auditor shall establish an overall audit strategy that sets the scope, timing and direction of the audit, and guides the development of the detailed audit plan. ISA 300 requires this to be documented in writing.
Elements of the Overall Audit Strategy
- Characteristics of the engagement — size, complexity, reporting framework, regulatory requirements, use of IT systems, group audit considerations
- Reporting objectives — deadlines, nature of communications required (audit report, management letter, regulatory filings)
- Significant factors — significant risks identified at planning, areas of high inherent risk, areas requiring specialist involvement
- Results of preliminary engagement activities — acceptance/continuance, predecessor communication, prior year findings
- Nature, timing and extent of resources — allocation of partner/manager/senior/junior time, use of experts
- Coordination with internal audit — if the entity has an internal audit function
Real-Life Example — Manufacturing Company Audit
Entity: A listed textile manufacturer with 5 factories and BDT 4,800 crore turnover.
Strategy highlights: The audit team is 12 strong (2 partners, 2 managers, 4 seniors, 4 juniors). Inventory (raw cotton, WIP, finished goods) is identified as the highest-risk area given year-end stock BDT 600 crore; a physical inventory observation team is assigned. Revenue recognition is flagged as a significant risk due to channel-stuffing allegations in the prior year. An IT specialist is engaged to test the ERP system (SAP) access controls. Interim audit work (controls testing) is planned for October–November; final audit is December–January.
OVERALL AUDIT STRATEGY — MEMORANDUM
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Client : [Client Name]
Year End : [Date]
Partner : [Name]
Manager : [Name]
Date Prepared : [Date]
Date Reviewed : [Date]
1. ENGAGEMENT CHARACTERISTICS
Entity type : Public Listed / Private / Bank / NBFI / NGO
Reporting framework : BFRS / BFRS for SMEs / Bangladesh Bank circulars
Regulatory body : BSEC / Bangladesh Bank / IDRA / RJSC
Group structure : Standalone / Parent with [N] subsidiaries
Key systems : SAP / Tally / Oracle / Bespoke
Internal audit : Exists [ ] / Does not exist [ ]
2. SIGNIFICANT RISKS IDENTIFIED AT PLANNING STAGE
(to be reviewed after risk assessment in ISA 315)
a. Revenue recognition — cut-off risk around year-end
b. Inventory valuation — NRV assessment for slow-moving items
c. Loan classification — Bangladesh Bank provisioning requirements
d. Related party transactions — arm's length pricing
e. Going concern — net current liability position
3. MATERIALITY
Overall materiality : BDT ___________
Performance mat. : BDT ___________
Trivial threshold : BDT ___________
(See WP MAT-01 for calculation)
4. TIMING
Interim fieldwork : [Date range]
Year-end inventory count : [Date]
Final fieldwork : [Date range]
Draft accounts receipt: [Date]
Report deadline : [Date]
5. RESOURCE ALLOCATION
Engagement partner : [Name] — Overall direction & sign-off
Engagement manager : [Name] — Day-to-day supervision
EQCR partner : [Name] — Engagement quality control review
Seniors : [Names] — Substantive procedures
Juniors : [Names] — Schedules, vouching, confirmations
IT specialist : [Name/Firm] — ERP access controls
Valuation specialist : [Name/Firm] — Land & building revaluation
6. COORDINATION
Component auditors : N/A / [Name for subsidiary X]
Internal audit reliance: Planned [ ] / Not planned [ ]
If planned, scope of reliance: _______________________
Partner Approval: _______________ Date: _______________
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Ref: ISA 300.8-12; ISA 220.14
The audit strategy is a living document — update it whenever significant new information comes to light during the audit.
4. Materiality & Performance Materiality ISA 320
Materiality is fundamental to the audit. Misstatements, including omissions, are considered material if they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users of the financial statements. ISA 320 requires the auditor to determine materiality for the financial statements as a whole, and if applicable, materiality levels for particular classes of transactions, balances, or disclosures.
Determining Materiality — Common Benchmarks
| Entity Type | Benchmark | Typical Range | Notes |
| Manufacturing / Trading | Profit before tax | 5%–10% of PBT | Adjust if PBT volatile or near zero |
| Profit-oriented entities | Revenue | 0.5%–1% of revenue | Used when PBT is small or loss-making |
| Not-for-profit / NGO | Total expenditure | 0.5%–2% | Donor focus on expenditure |
| Banks / NBFIs | Total assets or Net interest income | 0.5%–1% of total assets | Bangladesh Bank often uses total assets |
| Holding companies | Net assets | 1%–2% of net assets | Focus on balance sheet |
Performance Materiality
Performance materiality is set at an amount less than overall materiality (typically 50%–75%) to reduce to an appropriately low level the probability that aggregate uncorrected and undetected misstatements exceed overall materiality. It drives sample sizes and the extent of testing.
Real-Life Calculation Example
Entity: ABC Pharmaceuticals Ltd — PBT BDT 85 crore; Revenue BDT 620 crore; Total Assets BDT 350 crore
Benchmark chosen: PBT (entity is consistently profitable, PBT is a key metric for investors).
Overall Materiality: 7% × BDT 85 crore = BDT 5.95 crore (rounded to BDT 6 crore)
Performance Materiality: 65% × BDT 6 crore = BDT 3.9 crore
Trivial/Clearly Inconsequential: 5% × BDT 6 crore = BDT 30 lakh
Any misstatement below BDT 30 lakh need not be accumulated; anything BDT 30 lakh–BDT 3.9 crore is accumulated; anything above BDT 3.9 crore triggers further investigation.
MATERIALITY DETERMINATION
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Client: ___________________ Year End: __________
Prepared by: ______________ Date: ______________
Reviewed by: ______________ Date: ______________
STEP 1 — SELECT BENCHMARK
Benchmark selected: [ ] PBT [ ] Revenue [ ] Total Assets
[ ] Net Assets [ ] Total Expenditure
Benchmark value (BDT): ___________________________
Reason for selection: ___________________________
STEP 2 — APPLY PERCENTAGE
Percentage applied: _________%
Calculation: BDT _________ × _____% = BDT _________
Overall Materiality (OM): BDT _________
STEP 3 — PERFORMANCE MATERIALITY
PM percentage of OM: _________%
Performance Materiality (PM): BDT _________
Rationale for PM %:
(Consider: prior year misstatements, client complexity,
quality of accounting, nature of population)
_________________________________________________
STEP 4 — TRIVIAL THRESHOLD
Trivial % of OM: 5%
Trivial Amount: BDT _________
STEP 5 — SPECIFIC MATERIALITY (if applicable)
Area Specific Materiality
Director remuneration BDT ___________ (regulatory disclosure)
Related party transactions BDT ___________ (IFRS 24)
Segment information BDT ___________
STEP 6 — PRIOR YEAR COMPARISON
Prior year OM: BDT _________
Change: _________ %
Reason for significant change (if any): ____________
CONCLUSION
OM communicated to team? [ ] Yes Date: __________
Revised at any point? [ ] Yes [ ] No
If yes, reason for revision: _____________________
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Ref: ISA 320.10-11; ISA 450.3
Materiality must be reassessed if, during the audit, the auditor becomes aware of information that would have caused a different determination. Document any revision and its rationale.
5. Risk Assessment — Understanding the Entity ISA 315
ISA 315 (Revised 2019) requires the auditor to identify and assess the risks of material misstatement through understanding the entity and its environment, including the entity's internal control. This is the cornerstone of a risk-based audit approach.
The Five Components of Understanding (ISA 315.19)
- The entity and its environment — industry, regulatory environment, nature of operations, ownership structure, financing
- The applicable financial reporting framework — BFRS, Bangladesh Bank Master Circulars, BSEC rules
- The entity's system of internal control — control environment, risk assessment process, information systems, control activities, monitoring
- The entity's accounting policies — appropriateness, consistency, judgement-heavy areas
- Entity's objectives and strategies — business risks that may result in material misstatement
Inherent Risk Factors (ISA 315 Revised)
ISA 315 (Revised 2019) introduced the concept of inherent risk factors — qualitative characteristics that affect the susceptibility of an assertion to misstatement:
- Complexity — complex financial instruments, group structures, multi-currency operations
- Subjectivity — fair value estimates, expected credit losses (ECL), warranty provisions
- Change — new accounting standards, new business lines, management changes
- Uncertainty — litigation outcomes, going concern doubts, contingent liabilities
- Susceptibility to misappropriation — cash handling, inventory, payroll
Risk Assessment Procedures
- Inquiries of management, internal audit, legal counsel, and other relevant personnel
- Analytical procedures (trend analysis, ratio analysis, peer comparison)
- Observation and inspection (factory visits, document review, board minutes)
- Review of prior year audit file and management letter
- Review of interim financial information, budgets, and management accounts
- Review of regulatory reports (Bangladesh Bank inspection reports, BSEC filing, etc.)
- IT general controls walkthrough (if entity relies on IT systems)
Real-Life Example — Bank Audit (Bangladesh)
Entity: A scheduled commercial bank with BDT 15,000 crore in loans and advances.
Inherent Risk Factors identified:
• Loan classification and provisioning (highly subjective — Bangladesh Bank BRPD Circular No. 14 applies)
• Expected Credit Loss (ECL) model under BFRS 9 newly adopted — high uncertainty
• Off-balance-sheet exposures (letters of credit, guarantees) — completeness risk
• Treasury instruments (HTM vs. FVOCI classification) — intentional misclassification risk
• Related party loans to director-connected entities — integrity risk
Risk Assessment Procedures performed: Reviewed BB Inspection Report (BRPD), reviewed board minutes, obtained and reviewed loan classification policy, performed ratio analysis (NPL ratio vs. peer banks), interviewed Credit Risk Manager, reviewed 20 large loan files.
The Risk of Material Misstatement (RMM)
RMM = Inherent Risk (IR) × Control Risk (CR). The auditor uses this to determine Detection Risk and, consequently, the nature, timing, and extent of substantive procedures.
IR / CR Matrix
CR Low
CR High
IR High
Medium RMM
HIGH RMM
IR Low
LOW RMM
Medium RMM
Documents to Collect During Risk Assessment
- Memorandum and Articles of Association / Certificate of Incorporation
- Latest audited financial statements (prior 3 years)
- Board meeting minutes (all meetings during the year)
- Audit Committee meeting minutes
- Management accounts / Monthly MIS reports
- Organisation chart and staff list
- Approved budgets vs. actual reports
- Regulatory inspection reports (Bangladesh Bank, BSEC, IDRA, etc.)
- List of related parties signed by management
- Legal correspondence file / Pending litigation list
- Chart of accounts / Accounting policies manual
- IT system documentation / User access control policy
- Internal audit reports and management responses
- Significant contracts (loan agreements, lease agreements, major supply contracts)
- Insurance policies schedule
RISK ASSESSMENT REGISTER (SUMMARY)
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Client: ________________ Year End: __________ Ref: RA-01
Financial Statement Area | IR | CR | RMM | Significant? | Response WP
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Revenue recognition | High | Med | High | YES | SUB-REV-01
Accounts receivable | Med | Med | Med | No | SUB-AR-01
Inventory (valuation) | High | Low | High | YES | SUB-INV-01
PPE / Depreciation | Low | Low | Low | No | SUB-PPE-01
Borrowings (existence) | Low | High | Med | No | SUB-BOR-01
Provisions & contingent | High | High | High | YES | SUB-PRV-01
Related party trans. | High | Med | High | YES | SUB-RPT-01
Tax liabilities | Med | Med | Med | No | SUB-TAX-01
Going concern | High | N/A | High | YES | GC-01
Payroll expenses | Low | Low | Low | No | SUB-PAY-01
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IR: Inherent Risk | CR: Control Risk | RMM: Risk of Material Misstatement
Scale: High / Medium / Low
Significant Risks (ISA 315.27): Revenue recognition, Inventory valuation,
Provisions, Related party transactions, Going concern.
Prepared by: ______________ Date: __________
Reviewed by: ______________ Date: __________
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Ref: ISA 315.26-27; ISA 330.15
Significant risks always require substantive procedures regardless of controls assessment. Controls reliance alone is insufficient for significant risks.
6. Fraud Risk Assessment ISA 240
ISA 240 requires the auditor to maintain an attitude of professional skepticism and identify and assess the risks of material misstatement due to fraud. Two types of fraud are relevant: fraudulent financial reporting and misappropriation of assets.
Fraud Risk Factors (The Fraud Triangle)
- Incentive/Pressure — management under pressure to meet earnings targets, excessive bonuses tied to results, financial distress
- Opportunity — weak internal controls, dominant management, ineffective oversight by those charged with governance
- Rationalisation/Attitude — management disregard for controls, history of violations, poor ethical culture
Mandatory Procedures Under ISA 240
- Team discussion — the engagement team must hold a mandatory fraud brainstorming discussion, where and how could fraud occur in this entity?
- Management inquiries — inquire of management about known or suspected fraud, and about its fraud risk assessment process
- Presume revenue recognition is a fraud risk — this is a rebuttable presumption; must document basis if rebutted
- Management override of controls — always a significant risk; test journal entries, accounting estimates, and unusual transactions
- Journal entry testing — select unusual/late journal entries; trace to supporting documentation
Red Flags — Fraudulent Financial Reporting
• Consistently meeting or beating analyst expectations by small margins
• Management reluctance to allow access to certain records or personnel
• Significant year-end revenue reversals in the subsequent period
• Complex transactions with no clear business purpose (especially with related parties)
• Unusual journal entries — large, round-number, posted on the last day of the period
• Frequent changes in accounting estimates or auditors
• Discrepancies between physical inventory and book records
Real-Life Example — Revenue Fraud (Export Company)
Scenario: During audit of a garments exporter, the team finds that BDT 18 crore of revenue was recognised in March, but the goods were in transit as of 31 March (shipping date was 5 April). Management argues a bill of lading dated 30 March exists.
Auditor response: Obtained the original bill of lading; the date appeared altered. Performed back-of-bank confirmation with the bank — the LC payment was received in April. Escalated to the engagement partner; extended journal entry testing to the full year. Ultimately resulted in a qualification of the audit report for a BDT 18 crore overstatement of revenue.
FRAUD RISK ASSESSMENT — ENGAGEMENT TEAM DISCUSSION RECORD
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Client: ___________________ Year End: __________
Meeting Date: ______________ Location: __________
Attendees:
Partner: _______________________________
Manager: _______________________________
Seniors: _______________________________
AGENDA / QUESTIONS DISCUSSED
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1. HOW COULD MANAGEMENT MANIPULATE FINANCIAL RESULTS?
- Revenue side: early recognition, fictitious customers, bill-and-hold?
- Expense side: capitalisation of revenue expenditure, understated provisions?
- Asset inflation: inflated inventory, fictitious receivables?
- Liability concealment: off-balance-sheet arrangements?
Discussion notes:
_______________________________________________
2. WHERE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ASSET MISAPPROPRIATION?
- Cash handling weaknesses?
- Payroll ghost employees?
- Procurement fraud / kickbacks?
- Fixed asset theft?
Discussion notes:
_______________________________________________
3. FRAUD RISK FACTORS IDENTIFIED (Fraud Triangle)
Pressure/Incentives:
_______________________________________________
Opportunity:
_______________________________________________
Rationalisation:
_______________________________________________
4. REVENUE RECOGNITION — PRESUMPTION
[ ] Presumption maintained — revenue recognition is a fraud risk
[ ] Presumption rebutted — basis: _______________
5. MANAGEMENT OVERRIDE RISK
Always a significant risk? [✓] YES
Journal entry testing planned? [✓] YES — See WP JE-01
6. MANAGEMENT INQUIRIES (ISA 240.18)
Name / Title interviewed: _______________________
Date: _________________________________________
Response to fraud inquiry:
_______________________________________________
CONCLUSION — FRAUD RISKS IDENTIFIED
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# | Description | Type | WP Ref | Response
1 | Revenue cut-off | Fin.Fraud | REV-02 | Extend substantive testing
2 | Management override | Fin.Fraud | JE-01 | Journal entry testing
3 | Payroll — ghost staff | Misapprop. | PAY-03 | Surprise payroll check
Prepared by: ______________ Date: __________
Reviewed by: ______________ Date: __________
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Ref: ISA 240.15-24; ISA 330.21
This discussion must occur prior to or at the start of risk assessment. All team members — not just the partner — must attend. The discussion should be candid and questioning.
7. Detailed Audit Plan ISA 300 ISA 330
The detailed audit plan translates the overall audit strategy into specific procedures for each assertion and each financial statement area. It documents the nature, timing, and extent of planned audit procedures, including both tests of controls and substantive procedures.
The Five Financial Statement Assertions
| Assertion Group | Assertions | Commonly Tested For |
| Transactions & Events | Occurrence, Completeness, Accuracy, Cut-off, Classification | Revenue, purchases, payroll, expenses |
| Account Balances | Existence, Rights & Obligations, Completeness, Valuation & Allocation | Receivables, inventory, PPE, payables, loans |
| Presentation & Disclosure | Occurrence, Completeness, Classification, Accuracy & Valuation, Understandability | Notes to accounts, segment disclosure, contingencies |
ISA 330 — Key Requirement
Regardless of the assessed risk of material misstatement, the auditor shall design and perform substantive procedures for each material class of transactions, account balance, and disclosure. The auditor may not rely on controls alone for significant risks — substantive procedures are always required.
8. Internal Controls Testing ISA 315 ISA 330
When the auditor intends to rely on controls (i.e., reduce the extent of substantive testing based on the expectation that controls are effective), tests of controls must be performed. This is particularly important in banking and large-entity audits where IT-dependent controls are pervasive.
The COSO Framework — Five Components of Internal Control
- Control Environment — tone at the top, ethics, governance, competence, accountability
- Risk Assessment — entity's own process to identify and respond to business risks
- Control Activities — authorisation, reconciliations, segregation of duties, IT controls, physical safeguards
- Information & Communication — quality of financial reporting systems, management information
- Monitoring — internal audit, management review of KPIs, exception reporting
Types of Tests of Controls
- Inquiry — ask the control owner how the control works; least reliable on its own
- Observation — watch the control being performed (e.g., observe cash counting procedures)
- Inspection — examine documents that provide evidence the control operated (e.g., approved payment vouchers, system access logs)
- Re-performance — independently perform the control procedure (e.g., re-perform bank reconciliation)
Real-Life Example — Bank (Treasury Department Controls)
Control tested: Maker-Checker segregation on treasury deal input system.
Procedure: Obtained the system access log for the treasury dealing system for all 12 months. Tested that for 40 randomly selected transactions, the inputter (Dealer) and the authoriser (Treasury Operations) were different users, and that no single user had both input and authorisation rights. Cross-checked against the bank's approved user access matrix.
Result: Two instances found where a covering dealer had authorised his own transactions during a colleague's leave. Identified as a control deficiency; reported in the management letter. No misstatement identified, but the auditor increased the sample for treasury substantive testing.
IT General Controls (ITGCs)
- Access controls — user authentication, privilege management, segregation of duties in IT
- Change management — procedures for authorising, testing, and implementing system changes
- Computer operations — job scheduling, data backup, disaster recovery
- Program development — SDLC controls for new system development
INTERNAL CONTROL QUESTIONNAIRE — PURCHASES & PAYABLES
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Client: ___________________ Year End: __________
Completed by (Auditor): ____ Date: ______________
Information source: [ ] Inquiry [ ] Observation [ ] Inspection
QUESTION Y / N / NA Comments / WP Ref
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PURCHASE ORDERING
1. Are purchase orders (POs) raised for all [ ][ ][ ]
purchases above BDT _________ threshold?
2. Are POs authorised before issue? [ ][ ][ ]
3. Is a list of approved vendors maintained? [ ][ ][ ]
4. Are purchases > BDT _______ subject to [ ][ ][ ]
competitive bidding?
GOODS RECEIPT
5. Are goods received notes (GRNs) raised [ ][ ][ ]
for all goods received?
6. Is there three-way matching (PO/GRN/ [ ][ ][ ]
invoice) before payment?
7. Are goods inspected for quality on receipt? [ ][ ][ ]
INVOICE PROCESSING
8. Are all supplier invoices stamped 'received'[ ][ ][ ]
with date of receipt?
9. Is there segregation between the staff who [ ][ ][ ]
approve invoices and those who process
payments?
10. Are credit notes checked against original [ ][ ][ ]
invoices?
PAYMENT
11. Is there dual authorisation for payments [ ][ ][ ]
above BDT _________ ?
12. Are blank cheques / transfer authorities [ ][ ][ ]
pre-signed? (Answer should be NO)
13. Are supplier statements reconciled monthly?[ ][ ][ ]
14. Is the accounts payable ledger reconciled [ ][ ][ ]
to the control account monthly?
PERIOD-END
15. Are cut-off procedures in place for [ ][ ][ ]
year-end payables?
16. Are accruals reviewed by management? [ ][ ][ ]
CONTROL WEAKNESSES IDENTIFIED:
1. _________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________
ACTION:
[ ] Reliance planned — test of controls (WP TOC-PUR-01)
[ ] No reliance — direct substantive approach
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Ref: ISA 315.26; ISA 330.8-10; COSO 2013
ICQs are prepared separately for each transaction cycle: Revenue/Receivables, Purchases/Payables, Payroll, Treasury/Cash, Inventory, Fixed Assets, Financing.
Reporting Control Deficiencies (ISA 265)
The auditor must communicate significant deficiencies in internal control in writing to those charged with governance (the audit committee / board). A significant deficiency is one that is of sufficient importance to merit attention. This is typically done through the Management Letter.
9. Substantive Procedures ISA 330 ISA 500
Substantive procedures are audit procedures designed to detect material misstatements at the assertion level. They comprise tests of details (examining individual transactions, balances, or disclosures) and substantive analytical procedures.
Key Substantive Procedures by Area
Revenue & Receivables
- Trace revenue transactions to supporting documents (invoice, dispatch note, delivery confirmation)
- Test cut-off — review transactions 10 days before and after year-end; ensure goods delivered = revenue recognised
- Perform debtors' circularisation (external confirmation per ISA 505)
- Review credit notes issued after year-end (may indicate overstatement)
- Analytical procedures — gross margin by product/segment vs. prior year and budget
- Test journal entries posting revenue (especially manual adjustments at year-end)
Inventory
- Attend physical inventory count (ISA 501) — test count accuracy, identify slow-moving items, review condition
- Test valuation — confirm cost (lower of cost / NRV); obtain NRV evidence (selling price lists, post-year sales)
- Trace count sheets to inventory listing; reconcile to ledger
- Review aged inventory report — assess obsolescence provision adequacy
- Test cut-off at physical count date
Bank & Cash
- Obtain bank confirmation letters from all banks (ISA 505) — balances, loans, securities pledged
- Review and test bank reconciliations at year-end
- Vouch outstanding cheques and deposits in transit to subsequent clearance
- Review intercompany/interbank transfers around year-end (kiting risk)
- For large cash balances: surprise cash count
Loans & Advances (Banking Entities)
- Obtain loan schedule; agree to general ledger
- Select sample of large loans; review credit files, security documentation, repayment history
- Confirm classification against Bangladesh Bank BRPD Circular No. 14 criteria
- Test adequacy of provisioning — specific and general provisions
- Review LFAT (Large Loan Funded) returns to Bangladesh Bank for consistency
- Obtain legal confirmations for loans under litigation
Real-Life Example — Debtors Circularisation
Entity: Pharmaceutical distribution company, debtors BDT 120 crore (1,200+ customers).
Approach: Stratified the debtor population: Top 50 debtors (BDT 80 crore) — positive confirmation; Next 100 (BDT 25 crore) — negative confirmation; Remaining BDT 15 crore — analytical procedures only.
Result: 3 major debtors disputed balances; one confirmed their books showed BDT 1.2 crore less than the client's ledger (client had recognised revenue not yet delivered). Identified BDT 1.2 crore overstatement — exceeded performance materiality, proposed adjustment was accepted by management.
[On Client's Letterhead — sent by auditor]
Date: _______________
[Debtor Company Name]
[Address]
Dear Sir/Madam,
Re: Confirmation of Account Balance
Our auditors, [Audit Firm Name], Chartered Accountants, are conducting the statutory
audit of our financial statements for the year ended [Date].
In accordance with standard audit procedures, please confirm directly to our auditors
whether the following balance agrees with your records. Please respond directly to the
auditors at the address below — NOT to us.
BALANCE AS PER OUR RECORDS AT [DATE]:
Your Account Reference : [Client's internal code]
Amount Outstanding (BDT) : ___________________________
Comprising:
Invoices : BDT _______________
Credit Notes Pending : BDT (______________)
Net Payable by you : BDT _______________
Please tick ONE box and sign below:
[ ] I/We confirm the above balance agrees with our records as at [date].
[ ] I/We do NOT agree. The balance per our records is BDT ______________.
Details of difference:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Name: _______________________________
Designation: _______________________________
Signature: _______________________________
Date: _______________________________
Company Seal:
PLEASE RETURN TO:
[Audit Firm Name], Chartered Accountants
[Address]
[Email]
[Phone]
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This confirmation request is made solely for audit purposes.
Ref: ISA 505.7-8
Non-responses to positive confirmations require alternative procedures (e.g., vouching subsequent cash receipts, review of invoices and delivery notes). Document all non-responses and follow-up procedures.
Property, Plant & Equipment (PPE)
- Agree opening balances to prior year audited accounts
- Vouch additions (purchase invoices, contractor bills, capitalisation policy compliance)
- Test disposals (approval, proceeds received, gain/loss calculation)
- Physically verify a sample of assets (existence and condition)
- Test depreciation calculation for a sample (rate, method, consistency)
- Review impairment indicators (IAS 36)
- For revaluations: assess qualifications and independence of valuer; review valuation report
Provisions & Contingent Liabilities
- Obtain schedule of all provisions; agree to ledger
- For each major provision, assess whether IAS 37 recognition criteria are met
- Obtain legal confirmation letter from entity's legal counsel (ISA 501)
- Review correspondence files for unrecorded claims
- Review post-year board minutes for subsequent events affecting provisions
- Review adequacy — compare to historical experience
[On Client's Letterhead]
Date: _______________
[Law Firm / Advocate's Name]
[Address]
Dear Sir/Madam,
Re: Confirmation of Legal Matters — Audit of [Company Name]
Year Ended: [Date]
In connection with the audit of our financial statements by [Audit Firm Name],
Chartered Accountants ("our auditors"), we request that you communicate directly
with our auditors regarding the matters listed below.
Please provide the following information as at [Year-End Date] and any
developments up to the date of your response:
1. PENDING LITIGATION AND CLAIMS
Please describe all matters of litigation, claims, and assessments for which
you have been engaged and which remain pending as at the date of your response,
including:
(a) A description of the nature of each matter
(b) The stage of proceedings
(c) Your assessment of the probable outcome (likely favourable / likely unfavourable
/ cannot be determined)
(d) An estimate of the potential financial effect if unfavourable
2. MATTERS NOT LISTED ABOVE
Are there any other matters pending (including regulatory actions, tax disputes
handled by your office, or matters threatening to become litigation) of which
we should be aware?
[ ] No other matters
[ ] Yes — details below:
_________________________________________________________________
3. COMPLETENESS CONFIRMATION
We confirm that the following legal matters on our records have been submitted
to you for this confirmation. Please advise if this list is not complete from
your records:
Case / Ref No. | Nature | Amount Claimed (BDT) | Status
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
[List of known cases from client's records]
We authorise you to disclose all information relevant to the above to our auditors.
Yours faithfully,
[Company CEO / CFO Signature]
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AUDITORS' NOTE: Please send your response directly to:
[Audit Firm Name], Chartered Accountants
[Address / Email]
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Ref: ISA 501.9; IAS 37.86
Where legal counsel declines to respond or limits their response, this is itself a significant matter to consider — it may require modifying the audit opinion if the impact could be material.
10. Audit Sampling ISA 530
Audit sampling involves applying audit procedures to less than 100% of a population such that all sampling units have a chance of selection, allowing the auditor to project results to the entire population. ISA 530 does not mandate specific sample sizes but requires the sample to be sufficient to provide a reasonable basis for conclusions.
Sampling Approaches
| Method | Description | Best Used For |
| Random sampling | Every item in the population has an equal chance of selection | Large, homogeneous populations |
| Systematic sampling | Select every nth item after a random start | Ordered populations (invoice sequences) |
| Stratified sampling | Divide population into strata; sample from each | Populations with high-value items |
| Monetary Unit Sampling (MUS) | Each monetary unit has equal probability; larger items more likely selected | Overstatement testing (receivables, assets) |
| Haphazard sampling | Non-statistical; auditor selects without bias | Small populations; supplementary to other methods |
Factors Affecting Sample Size
- Higher desired confidence → larger sample
- Higher tolerable misstatement / tolerable deviation rate → smaller sample
- Higher expected error rate → larger sample
- Larger population → marginally larger sample (for statistical sampling)
- Results of prior year testing (if significant errors found, increase sample)
Real-Life Example — MUS for Receivables Testing
Population: Trade receivables BDT 180 crore across 3,400 invoices
Performance Materiality: BDT 4.5 crore
Tolerable Misstatement: BDT 4.5 crore
Expected Misstatement: BDT 0.5 crore (based on prior year)
Confidence Level: 95%
Sample size (MUS): ≈ 58 invoices (calculated using reliability factor)
Sampling interval: BDT 180 crore ÷ 58 = BDT 3.1 crore
All invoices above BDT 3.1 crore are automatically included (top-stratum). Remaining sample selected systematically from the remaining population.
11. Analytical Procedures ISA 520
Analytical procedures involve evaluating financial information through analysis of plausible relationships among financial and non-financial data. They are used at three stages: planning (as risk assessment procedures), fieldwork (as substantive procedures for lower-risk areas), and completion (overall review).
Types of Analytical Procedures
- Trend analysis — compare current year to prior years (5-year trend)
- Ratio analysis — gross margin %, current ratio, debt-equity, days receivable, days payable
- Cross-sectional analysis — compare to industry peers / sector benchmarks
- Reasonableness tests — develop an independent expectation (e.g., payroll: headcount × average salary)
- Regression analysis — statistical relationship between variables (advanced)
Real-Life Example — Payroll Reasonableness Test
Entity: Manufacturing company, 850 employees.
Auditor's expectation:
Average monthly salary per HR records: BDT 42,000
Annual payroll expectation: 850 × BDT 42,000 × 12 = BDT 42.84 crore
Actual payroll per accounts: BDT 48.2 crore
Unexplained difference: BDT 5.36 crore (exceeds PM of BDT 4 crore)
Follow-up: Management explained BDT 3.5 crore in annual bonuses (verified to board approval minutes) and BDT 1.86 crore in overtime. Overtime verified to individual records for a sample. Difference adequately explained; no misstatement.
12. Going Concern ISA 570
Management is responsible for assessing the entity's ability to continue as a going concern. The auditor is responsible for assessing whether management's use of the going concern assumption is appropriate, and whether there are material uncertainties that need to be disclosed.
Going Concern Indicators
Financial Indicators
- Net current liability position (working capital deficit)
- Net liability position (negative equity)
- Recurring operating losses
- Significant deterioration in key financial ratios
- Loan covenants in breach or near breach
- Substantial operating cash outflows
- Arrears in dividends, debt service, or tax payments
Operational & Other Indicators
- Loss of key customers or suppliers without replacement
- Regulatory actions (licence suspension, heavy fines)
- Uninsured catastrophic events (fire, flood)
- Loss of key management with no succession plan
- Fundamental change in technology making product obsolete
Audit Procedures for Going Concern
- Review management's going concern assessment and supporting cash flow forecasts
- Evaluate reasonableness of assumptions in forecasts
- Check whether forecasts extend at least 12 months from the reporting date
- Review loan agreements for covenant compliance
- Obtain letters of support from parent/controlling shareholder (if applicable)
- Review post-year events for evidence about going concern
- Inquire of legal counsel about litigation and regulatory matters
Reporting Implications — ISA 570
No material uncertainty but going concern appropriate: No modification; may include Emphasis of Matter paragraph if significant judgement was involved.
Material uncertainty exists AND adequately disclosed: Unmodified opinion + Material Uncertainty Related to Going Concern paragraph in the report.
Material uncertainty exists but NOT disclosed: Qualified or Adverse opinion (material misstatement by omission).
Going concern assumption inappropriate: Adverse opinion.
14. Subsequent Events ISA 560
Subsequent events are events that occur between the financial statement date and the date of the auditor's report. ISA 560 distinguishes between adjusting events (which must be reflected in the financial statements) and non-adjusting events (which require disclosure if material).
Audit Procedures for Subsequent Events
- Read post-year board minutes and audit committee minutes
- Review management accounts / interim financial statements after year-end
- Inquire of management about subsequent events (using a standard inquiry list)
- Review correspondence files and major contracts entered into after year-end
- Review post-year legal correspondence for new claims or regulatory actions
- Review post-year debt facility changes (new borrowings, covenant waivers)
- Verify that major customers or suppliers have not failed after year-end
Real-Life Example — Adjusting vs. Non-Adjusting Event
Year End: 31 December 2024
Adjusting Event: A receivable of BDT 8 crore from a customer was outstanding at year-end. In February 2025, the customer was declared insolvent and went into liquidation. Since the condition (insolvency) existed at year-end (the customer was already in financial difficulty), this is an adjusting event — BDT 8 crore bad debt should be recognised as at 31 December 2024.
Non-Adjusting Event: A fire destroyed a major factory in March 2025 (after year-end). The fire did not exist at 31 December 2024. This is a non-adjusting event — disclose in notes. No adjustment to 31 December 2024 accounts.
15. Written Representations ISA 580
Written representations are a form of audit evidence. ISA 580 requires the auditor to obtain written representations from management — and where appropriate, those charged with governance — about their responsibilities and specific matters relevant to the audit.
Mandatory Representations
- Management has fulfilled its responsibility for preparing the financial statements
- All information provided to the auditor has been complete and accurate
- All known or suspected fraud has been disclosed to the auditor
- All known instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations have been disclosed
- Completeness of related party disclosures
- Subsequent events inquiry confirmation
- Going concern assessment
- Accounting estimates — basis and appropriateness of key judgements
Important — Limitations of Written Representations
Written representations are not a substitute for other audit evidence. A representation cannot replace testing or corroborating evidence. If management refuses to provide a required written representation, or if a representation is contradicted by other evidence, the auditor considers the implications for the reliability of all other representations and for the audit opinion.
[On Client's Letterhead]
Date: [Date of Auditor's Report or just before]
[Audit Firm Name], Chartered Accountants
[Address]
Dear Sir/Madam,
MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATION LETTER
Re: Audit of [Company Name] for the Year Ended [Date]
This letter of representations is provided in connection with your audit of the
financial statements of [Company Name] (the "Company") for the year ended [Date],
for the purpose of expressing an opinion on whether the financial statements present
fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company.
We confirm, to the best of our knowledge and belief, having made such inquiries
as we considered necessary for the purpose of appropriately informing ourselves:
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. We have fulfilled our responsibilities for the preparation and fair presentation
of the financial statements in accordance with Bangladesh Financial Reporting
Standards (BFRSs).
2. The financial statements are free from material misstatement, including omissions.
3. Significant assumptions used by us in making accounting estimates are reasonable.
COMPLETENESS OF INFORMATION
4. We have provided you with all information relevant to the preparation and
presentation of the financial statements, including all books of account,
supporting documentation, minutes of meetings, and significant contracts.
5. All transactions have been recorded in the accounting records and are reflected
in the financial statements.
FRAUD AND NON-COMPLIANCE
6. We have disclosed to you the results of our assessment of the risk that the
financial statements may be materially misstated as a result of fraud.
7. We have no knowledge of any fraud or suspected fraud involving management,
employees with significant roles in internal control, or others that could have
a material effect on the financial statements.
8. We have disclosed to you all known or suspected instances of non-compliance
with laws and regulations whose effects should be considered when preparing
the financial statements.
RELATED PARTIES
9. We have disclosed to you the identity of all related parties and all related
party transactions and balances as at and for the year ended [Date]. The
disclosures in the financial statements are complete and accurate.
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
10. All events occurring subsequent to [Year-End Date] and for which BFRSs require
adjustment or disclosure have been disclosed to you and appropriately treated
in the financial statements.
GOING CONCERN
11. We believe the Company has adequate resources to continue operations for the
foreseeable future. The financial statements have been prepared on the going
concern basis, which we believe to be appropriate.
LITIGATION
12. We have disclosed all pending legal proceedings of which we are aware. The
provisions made in the financial statements are, in our assessment, adequate
to cover the probable outcome of these proceedings.
Yours faithfully,
_______________________________ _______________________________
[Managing Director / CEO] [Chief Financial Officer]
[Company Name] [Company Name]
Date: ___________________ Date: ___________________
The representation letter should be dated as close as practicable to, but not after, the date of the auditor's report. It is addressed to the auditor and signed by those with appropriate authority and knowledge.
16. Using Experts & Service Organisations ISA 620 ISA 402
The auditor may use the work of an expert (ISA 620) when a specialist area requires expertise beyond the auditor's own competence — such as property valuation, actuarial calculations, environmental assessments, or forensic investigations. ISA 402 deals with entities that use service organisations (e.g., payroll processors, IT service providers).
When to Use an Expert
- Property, plant and equipment revaluation (requires registered valuer)
- Defined benefit pension obligation — actuarial valuation (IAS 19)
- Expected Credit Loss models — statistical/financial modelling (BFRS 9)
- Environmental provisions — environmental engineer
- Legal matters — legal specialist opinion
- IT systems and cybersecurity — IT auditor or IS specialist
- Complex financial instruments — derivative valuation specialist
Evaluating the Expert's Work
- Assess competence and independence of the expert
- Agree the scope of work, methodology, and assumptions to be used
- Evaluate whether the expert's work addresses the specific audit objective
- Review the reasonableness of assumptions and methods used
- Assess the relevance and reasonableness of findings in relation to other audit evidence
17. Evaluating Misstatements ISA 450
Throughout the audit, the auditor accumulates identified misstatements (both factual misstatements and judgmental misstatements). ISA 450 requires the auditor to evaluate whether uncorrected misstatements are material, individually or in aggregate.
Classification of Misstatements
- Factual misstatements — about which there is no doubt (e.g., arithmetic error, wrong amount posted)
- Judgemental misstatements — differences arising from judgements about accounting estimates or selections of accounting policies that the auditor considers unreasonable
- Projected misstatements — the auditor's best estimate of misstatements in the population, projected from a sample (e.g., error rate × population value)
The Misstatement Schedule
All identified misstatements above the trivial threshold are accumulated in a summary schedule (often called the "Summary of Audit Differences" or "Schedule of Unadjusted Differences"). This is reviewed at completion to determine whether, in aggregate, they are material.
SUMMARY OF AUDIT DIFFERENCES
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Client: ___________________ Year End: __________
Prepared by: ______________ Date: ______________
Overall Materiality: BDT _____________
Performance Materiality: BDT _____________
Trivial Threshold: BDT _____________
# | WP Ref | Nature of Misstatement | Dr/(Cr) PBT | Corrected?
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
1 | REV-02 | Revenue cut-off (Q4 sales) | (18,000,000)| YES — adjusted
2 | INV-03 | Inventory obsolescence prov.| (5,500,000) | YES — adjusted
3 | AR-05 | Doubtful debt provision insuf| (3,200,000) | NO — mgmt disagrees
4 | TAX-02 | Deferred tax understatement | (1,800,000) | YES — adjusted
5 | PPE-04 | Depreciation calc. error | 1,200,000 | YES — adjusted
6 | PAY-03 | Accrued bonus understatement| (2,400,000) | NO — mgmt disagrees
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
AGGREGATE UNCORRECTED MISSTATEMENTS:
Item 3: (3,200,000)
Item 6: (2,400,000)
─────────────────────────────
Total: (5,600,000) ← Exceeds PM of BDT [X] — further consideration required
EVALUATION:
Management has been requested to correct items 3 and 6. Reasons for non-
correction: [Management's explanation documented here]
Aggregate uncorrected misstatements vs. Overall Materiality: BDT 5.6M vs BDT [X]M
Assessment: Material / Not Material
Implication for opinion: _______________________________________
Engagement Partner Review: ______________ Date: __________
EQCR Partner Review: ______________ Date: __________
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Ref: ISA 450.5-7; ISA 320.12
If management refuses to correct a misstatement the auditor considers material, this must be reflected in the audit opinion. The auditor should also consider whether the refusal indicates a broader problem with management's integrity.
18. Engagement Quality Control Review (EQCR) ISA 220 ISQM 1
For listed entity audits and other audits where deemed necessary by firm policy or professional requirements, an Engagement Quality Control Review (EQCR) is required before the auditor's report is issued. The EQCR is performed by a senior, independent partner who was not involved in the audit.
What the EQCR Partner Reviews
- Significant judgements made by the engagement team and the conclusions reached
- The appropriateness of planned responses to significant risks
- Whether the financial statements are in accordance with the applicable financial reporting framework
- Whether the draft auditor's report is appropriate
- Whether significant matters communicated to management and TCWG are appropriate
- Whether independence requirements have been satisfied
- The engagement team's assessment of fraud risks and responses
The auditor's report must not be dated until the EQCR partner has completed the review and is satisfied with the engagement team's judgements.
19. Forming the Audit Opinion ISA 700 ISA 705
Based on all audit evidence obtained, the auditor forms an opinion on whether the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, in accordance with the applicable financial reporting framework. ISA 705 deals with modifications to this opinion.
The Decision Tree for Audit Opinion
| Situation | Opinion Type | Report Modification |
| No material misstatements; sufficient appropriate evidence obtained | Unmodified | Standard report (ISA 700) |
| Material but not pervasive misstatement | Qualified | "Except for" the matter described… |
| Material AND pervasive misstatement | Adverse | "The financial statements do not present fairly…" |
| Unable to obtain sufficient evidence — material but not pervasive | Qualified | "Except for possible effects of the matter…" |
| Unable to obtain sufficient evidence — material AND pervasive | Disclaimer | Do not express an opinion |
Key Management Assertions at Completion
- Has sufficient appropriate audit evidence been obtained for all material areas?
- Have all identified misstatements been appropriately evaluated?
- Have significant risks received appropriate audit responses?
- Are accounting policies appropriate and consistently applied?
- Are disclosures adequate, complete, and understandable?
- Is the going concern assumption appropriate?
- Are there any matters requiring an Emphasis of Matter or Other Matter paragraph?
- Have KAMs (Key Audit Matters — listed entities) been identified and documented?
20. The Auditor's Report ISA 700 ISA 701
ISA 700 (Revised) prescribes the form and content of the auditor's report. The Revised ISA 700, effective for audits of periods ending on or after 15 December 2016, introduced significant enhancements to transparency, including the requirement for Key Audit Matters for listed entities.
Required Elements of the Auditor's Report (ISA 700)
- Title — "Independent Auditor's Report"
- Addressee — shareholders, board, or as required by law
- Audit Opinion — appears first; includes identification of entity, FY, financial statements audited, and financial reporting framework
- Basis for Opinion — conducted per ISAs; independence confirmed; sufficient appropriate evidence obtained
- Key Audit Matters (listed entities) — ISA 701; matters of most significance to the audit
- Going Concern — Material Uncertainty paragraph (ISA 570) if applicable
- Other Information — responsibilities for annual report / directors' report (ISA 720)
- Responsibilities of Management — for the financial statements and internal control
- Auditor's Responsibilities — for expressing an opinion; description of audit
- Other Reporting Responsibilities — Companies Act, regulatory requirements
- Engagement partner name — required for listed entity audits
- Auditor's signature and address
- Date of auditor's report
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT
To the Shareholders of [Company Name]
REPORT ON THE AUDIT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
OPINION
We have audited the financial statements of [Company Name] (the "Company"),
which comprise the statement of financial position as at 31 December 20XX,
the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, statement of
changes in equity and statement of cash flows for the year then ended, and
notes to the financial statements, including material accounting policy
information.
In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements present fairly, in all
material respects, the financial position of the Company as at 31 December 20XX,
and its financial performance and its cash flows for the year then ended in
accordance with Bangladesh Financial Reporting Standards (BFRSs).
BASIS FOR OPINION
We conducted our audit in accordance with Bangladesh Standards on Auditing (BSAs).
Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's
Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report.
We are independent of the Company in accordance with the ethical requirements that
are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in Bangladesh, and we have
fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate
to provide a basis for our opinion.
[FOR LISTED ENTITIES ONLY — KEY AUDIT MATTERS (ISA 701)]
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were of
most significance in our audit of the financial statements of the current period.
KEY AUDIT MATTER 1: Revenue Recognition — Cut-off
How the matter arose:
The Company recognised revenue of BDT [X] crore during the year. Given the
volume of year-end transactions and the pressure to meet sales targets, we
identified revenue cut-off as an area of significant risk.
How we addressed it:
We tested a sample of [N] revenue transactions around the year-end, agreeing
them to delivery documentation and customer acceptance records. We reviewed
credit notes issued after year-end for evidence of inappropriate pre-year-end
recognition. We performed analytical procedures comparing monthly revenue trends.
KEY AUDIT MATTER 2: Inventory Valuation — Obsolescence
[Similar format]
RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGEMENT AND THOSE CHARGED WITH
GOVERNANCE FOR THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the
financial statements in accordance with BFRSs, and for such internal control
as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial
statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, management is responsible for assessing
the Company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable,
matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting
unless management either intends to liquidate the Company or to cease operations,
or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the Company's
financial reporting process.
AUDITOR'S RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE AUDIT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial
statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud
or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable
assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit
conducted in accordance with BSAs will always detect a material misstatement
when it exists.
[Remainder of responsibilities boilerplate per ISA 700.40]
REPORT ON OTHER LEGAL AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
As required by the Companies Act 1994 and Bangladesh Securities and Exchange
Commission Rules [if applicable], we also report the following:
(a) We have obtained all information and explanations which to the best of our
knowledge and belief were necessary for the purposes of our audit and made
no restrictions to our access;
(b) In our opinion, proper books of account as required by law have been kept
by the Company so far as it appeared from our examination of those books;
(c) The Company's statement of financial position and statement of profit or loss
and other comprehensive income are in agreement with the books of accounts;
(d) The expenditure incurred was for the purpose of the Company's business.
[Firm Name], Chartered Accountants
[Firm Registration No.]
[Partner Name], FCA
[Membership No.]
[City], Bangladesh
[Date]
For listed entities in Bangladesh, the report must also include the engagement partner's name, ICAB membership number, and the firm's registration number per BSEC requirements. The report date must be on or after the date of the management representation letter and the date on which the auditor has obtained sufficient appropriate evidence.
Modified Opinions — Key Phrases
| Opinion Type | Heading | Opening Phrase |
| Qualified (misstatement) | Basis for Qualified Opinion / Qualified Opinion | "In our opinion, except for the effects of the matter described in the Basis for Qualified Opinion section…" |
| Adverse | Basis for Adverse Opinion / Adverse Opinion | "In our opinion, because of the significance of the matter discussed…, the financial statements do not present fairly…" |
| Disclaimer | Basis for Disclaimer / Disclaimer of Opinion | "We do not express an opinion on the financial statements of [Entity]. Because of the significance of the matter described…" |
21. Working Papers & Documentation ISA 230
ISA 230 requires the auditor to prepare documentation that enables an experienced auditor with no prior connection to the engagement to understand the nature, timing, and extent of procedures performed, the results and evidence obtained, and the significant professional judgements made.
Audit File Structure
| File Section | Contents |
| Permanent File | Memorandum and Articles, engagement letter history, prior year accounts, key contracts, regulatory licences, related party list, accounting policies manual |
| Planning File | Client acceptance form, overall audit strategy, materiality calculation, risk assessment register, fraud risk memo, detailed audit plan |
| Current Year File | Lead schedules for each financial statement area, working papers for every substantive procedure, TOC results, confirmation letters, specialist reports |
| Completion File | Summary of audit differences, EQCR sign-off, management representation letter, going concern memo, final accounts copy, draft/signed audit report, management letter |
Documentation Requirements
- Every working paper must show: client name, year end, WP reference, preparer, date prepared, reviewer, date reviewed
- Conclusions must be clearly stated — "Based on the procedures performed, we are satisfied that…"
- Each WP must cross-reference to the audit plan and to corroborating evidence
- Lead schedules must reconcile to the trial balance / financial statements
- The audit file must be assembled within 60 days of the auditor's report date (ISQM 1)
- Retention period: minimum 7 years from the date of the auditor's report (ISQM 1; Bangladesh requirement per ICAB)
The "Experienced Auditor" Test
Ask yourself: if an experienced auditor (who has no prior knowledge of this client) read this working paper, would they understand what was done, why it was done, and what was concluded? If not, the documentation is insufficient. This test is applied by quality inspectors (ICAB Practice Monitoring, AFRAR) during file reviews.
22. Specimen Documents — Master Index
The following documents should be collected, prepared, or obtained during the course of a standard statutory audit. This serves as a practical checklist for audit managers and engagement partners.
Documents to Collect from the Client
| # | Document | Purpose / ISA Ref | Timing |
| 1 | Memorandum & Articles of Association | Legal structure, share capital (ISA 315) | Pre-engagement / permanent |
| 2 | Certificate of Incorporation | Existence; legal entity (ISA 315) | Pre-engagement / permanent |
| 3 | Prior 3 years' audited financial statements | Opening balances, trends (ISA 510) | Pre-engagement |
| 4 | Board minutes (all meetings during year) | Authorisations, related parties, risks (ISA 315) | Planning & fieldwork |
| 5 | Audit Committee minutes | Governance, internal control (ISA 315) | Planning & fieldwork |
| 6 | Trial balance / General ledger | Basis of audit (ISA 500) | Fieldwork (draft) |
| 7 | Draft financial statements | Agree to trial balance; assess presentation (ISA 700) | Completion |
| 8 | Bank statements (all accounts, full year) | Cash, bank (ISA 500, ISA 520) | Fieldwork |
| 9 | Debtors / Receivables ageing schedule | Existence, valuation (ISA 500, ISA 505) | Fieldwork |
| 10 | Creditors / Payables schedule at year-end | Completeness, valuation (ISA 500) | Fieldwork |
| 11 | Inventory count sheets / stock listing | Existence, valuation (ISA 501) | Year-end + fieldwork |
| 12 | Fixed asset register | Existence, rights, valuation (ISA 500) | Fieldwork |
| 13 | Loan agreements (all facilities) | Completeness, covenants (ISA 500) | Fieldwork / permanent |
| 14 | Payroll register (monthly summary) | Payroll expenses (ISA 500, ISA 520) | Fieldwork |
| 15 | Tax return (income tax, VAT) — latest filed | Tax liabilities, deferred tax (IAS 12) | Fieldwork |
| 16 | VAT/tax assessment orders (if any) | Tax contingencies (IAS 37) | Fieldwork |
| 17 | Insurance schedule (all policies) | Adequacy; asset insurance (ISA 500) | Fieldwork |
| 18 | Related party declaration (signed by mgmt) | Related parties (ISA 550) | Planning |
| 19 | List of pending litigation | Provisions, contingencies (ISA 501, IAS 37) | Fieldwork |
| 20 | Going concern cash flow forecast | Going concern (ISA 570) | Completion |
| 21 | Post-year board minutes | Subsequent events (ISA 560) | Completion |
| 22 | Management representation letter (signed) | Representations (ISA 580) | Completion |
| 23 | Internal audit reports & responses | Using internal audit work (ISA 610) | Planning & fieldwork |
| 24 | Bangladesh Bank inspection report (banks) | Regulatory compliance; risk (ISA 315) | Planning |
| 25 | BSEC filings / Annual report (listed cos.) | Other information (ISA 720) | Completion |
Documents Prepared by the Auditor
| WP Ref | Document | ISA Ref |
| WP-ACC-01 | Client Acceptance Form | ISA 220; ISQM 1 |
| PLAN-01 | Overall Audit Strategy Memo | ISA 300 |
| MAT-01 | Materiality Calculation Schedule | ISA 320 |
| RA-01 | Risk Assessment Register | ISA 315 |
| FRAUD-01 | Fraud Risk Assessment Memo + Team Discussion Record | ISA 240 |
| ICQ-[cycle]-01 | Internal Control Questionnaires (per cycle) | ISA 315 |
| TOC-[cycle]-01 | Tests of Controls working papers | ISA 330 |
| SUB-[area]-01 | Substantive procedure working papers (per area) | ISA 330, 500 |
| AR-CONF-01 | Debtor confirmation schedules + responses | ISA 505 |
| BANK-CONF-01 | Bank confirmation letters + responses | ISA 505 |
| JE-01 | Journal entry testing schedule | ISA 240 |
| SAD-01 | Summary of Audit Differences | ISA 450 |
| GC-01 | Going Concern Memo | ISA 570 |
| RPT-01 | Related Party Working Paper | ISA 550 |
| REP-01 | Management Representation Letter | ISA 580 |
| COMP-01 | Completion Checklist | ISA 700 |
| EQCR-01 | EQCR Sign-off Memo | ISA 220; ISQM 1 |
| MGMT-LTR-01 | Management Letter (control deficiencies) | ISA 265 |