Khondkar Atique-e-Rabbani – M A Fazal & Co.

Introduction

A Pioneer at the Intersection of Finance, Technology & Leadership

Khondkar Atique-e-Rabbani, FCA is a Partner at M A Fazal & Co., Chartered Accountants, bringing over four decades of uniquely cross-disciplinary experience spanning chartered accountancy, information technology, enterprise software, digital transformation advisory, and corporate governance.

Educated in the United Kingdom — with a B Tech (Hons) in Statistics from the University of Bradford and professional accountancy training with Arthur Young McClelland Moores & Co., Luton — Mr. Rabbani returned to Bangladesh to build an exceptional career that bridges the worlds of finance and frontier technology. He qualified as an Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) of ICAB in February 1990 and was elevated to Fellow (FCA) in 1995.

As Director of The Computers Limited (est. 1983), he has led digital advisory and evangelism activities — particularly on Blockchain, Generative AI, Agentic AI, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution — delivering keynote presentations and training workshops to well over 100 organisations including Cabinet Division, Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh Bank, BSEC, ICAB, and numerous international bodies.

"Recognised as one of Bangladesh's foremost voices on Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence" — Mr. Rabbani has spoken at international conferences in Russia, Japan, Panama City, Athens, Seoul, Tunisia, Geneva, and London, and has trained government, banking, and private sector professionals across Bangladesh on frontier technologies since 2017.

His practice at M A Fazal & Co. encompasses digital transformation advisory, Information Systems Audit, internal auditing, and technology-driven governance solutions for organisations navigating the rapidly evolving digital landscape. He is also the proprietor of TCL Computers, an IDB-BISEW approved ICT training centre operating in Dhaka and Chittagong.

Academic & Professional Credentials

Qualifications & Certifications

1990
FCA 1995

Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA)

Institute of Chartered Accountants, Bangladesh (ICAB)

Qualified as Associate (ACA) on 17 February 1990 and elevated to Fellow (FCA) in 1995. One of Bangladesh's senior chartered accounting professionals with specialisation in IS audit and digital advisory.

1975–79

B Tech (Hons) in Statistics

University of Bradford, UK

Years 1, 2 & 4 at the University; Year 3 as a paid industrial placement student as Software Programmer in the Group Research and Development Centre (GRDC) of British American Tobacco Co., Southampton, UK.

2008

IFRS Certificate

Institute of Chartered Accountants England & Wales (ICAEW), UK

Completed ICAEW's eight-week IFRS intensive training programme in London (14 July – 4 September 2008) as ICAB's nominee. Programme sponsored by the World Bank and Ministry of Commerce, Government of Bangladesh.

2015

IPSAS Certificate

Institute of Chartered Accountants Bangladesh (ICAB) / World Bank

Completed ICAB–World Bank's two-day IPSAS (International Public Sector Accounting Standards) training course in Dhaka (25–26 July 2015).

1974–75

GCE "A" Level

W R Tuson College of Further Education, Preston, UK

Advanced level qualifications in Mathematics, Further Mathematics, and Physics — the foundation for his subsequent degree in Statistics.

1979–82

Trainee Chartered Accountant

Arthur Young McClelland Moores & Co., Luton, Bedfordshire, UK

Professional training in Audit, Taxation, VAT, Trusts and related disciplines in the United Kingdom with a major international firm (later merged to form Ernst & Young).

Professional Development

ICT & Technology Training

Mr. Rabbani has undertaken extensive ICT training across the UK, Japan, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh — spanning systems administration, programming languages, software project management, and enterprise computing.

ICL DRS Multiuser Systems (1983)Manchester, UK — ICL (UK); Field training in Karachi, Pakistan — ICL (Pakistan)

System Analysis & Design (1984)Institute of Business Administration, Dhaka University (4 weeks)

COBOL Programming (1984)Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology — 3 weeks

ICL Departmental Systems (1985)ICL London Office — 1 week in-house training

COMFAR Feasibility Software (1987)BMDC/UNIDO — 3-week workshop in Dhaka on UNIDO's feasibility analysis tool

Unix for Programmers & C Language (1987)The Instruction Set, London — Europe's leading Unix consultancy (1 week each)

Unix & RPG II Migration (1988)Trainer from Software Ireland, Belfast — Unix and RPG II porting from IBM System 36 to ICL Clan 4

ICL DRS 6000 SPARC RISC (1993)Manchester, UK — hardware and system software maintenance (1 week)

UNIX System V Rel 4 Administration (1993)UK — operating system and system administration training (1 week)

Japanese Management Workshop (1993)AOTS (sponsored by MITI) — two-week workshop in Yokohama, Japan

TACK Management Training (1999)Organised by Aptech in Bangladesh

Software Project Management (2001)CBI, Holland — conducted in Bangladesh

Venture Management & E-Commerce (2002)School of Management, IIT Bombay — sponsored by Govt of India, Colombo Plan, APCTT & KOICA

Career History

Professional Experience

Mar 2026
Present

Partner

M A Fazal & Co., Chartered Accountants Current

Principal focus areas encompass digital transformation advisory using AI, Blockchain and frontier technologies; Information Systems Audit; and Internal Auditing services for corporate and government clients.

2017
Present

Director (formerly Managing Director)

The Computers Limited, Bangladesh Est. 1983

Leads technology advisory, AI and Blockchain evangelism across government, private sector, and multinational organisations. Key note presenter and panelist in over 100 seminars since engagement.

Jul 2023
Present

Proprietor

TCL Computers

Approved ICT training service provider under the Islamic Development Bank (IDB-BISEW) project. Delivers year-long programmer training in Java, C#, PHP/MySQL, Graphics Designing, Animation, Video Editing and Computer Aided Design in Dhaka and Chittagong.

2016–17

Internal Auditor (IS Audit — Oracle EBS)

Dulal Brothers Group

Carried out comprehensive internal audit and review of Oracle E-Business Suite ERP-based accounting systems for one of Bangladesh's leading garment conglomerates.

Aug–Dec
2007

Information Systems Auditor

Berger Paints Bangladesh Ltd.

Comprehensive IS audit as a prelude to SAP/ERP implementation. Responsibilities included:

Alignment of IS function with mission, vision, objectives and strategies
Evaluation of IS governance, resource management and performance processes
Review of software deployment policies, bug tracking and documentation practices
Assessment of security policies, IS risk environment and control frameworks
Evaluation of top management commitment to effective ICT exploitation

Aug 2007
Sep 2008

IT Consultant — IS Audit & Value for Money Advisory

Department for International Development (DFID), UK

Provided IT due diligence and VFM advisory consulting for DFID's Remittance and Payment Partnership (RPP) Project in Bangladesh.

May 2008

Specialist / Consultant

Emerging Markets Group Ltd. (EMG), Washington, USA

Reviewed operations of subcontractors of EMG as Local Fund Agent in Bangladesh for the Global Fund.

Jun 2012
May 2013

ERP Advisory Consultant

Epyllion Group — Large Knitwear Garments Manufacturing Conglomerate

Advised on pre-ERP readiness, training, change management, employee motivation, key factors for successful ERP implementation, and structured negotiations between Epyllion and ERP providers.

2012–13

Project Manager — Provident Fund Software

Dulal Brothers Group

Planned and scoped the software development process in close collaboration with the client; project managed to keep progress on track.

2009

Project Manager — Needs Assessment & Software Requirements

Elite Chemical Industries Ltd. (Paint Manufacturer)

Produced a comprehensive system document including needs analysis and software requirement specifications for developer quotation and implementation planning.

2008–11

Project Manager — NGO Management Software

APARAJEYO, Bangladesh

Scoped and managed complete software development lifecycle for an NGO management platform in collaboration with the client team.

1992–94

Project Manager — FSRP Banking Computerisation

The Computers Ltd. / USAID Financial Sector Reform Project (FSRP)

Managed computer supply (Gateway 2000 PCs and servers), installation, training and maintenance for Bangladesh Bank, Sonali Bank, Agrani Bank, Rupali Bank, Janata Bank, and BIBM.

1988–90

Project Manager & Programmer

Chittagong Port Authority (CPA)

Led conversion of General Ledger Accounts and Inventory Control Systems from IBM SYS 36 (RPG II) to Unix-based ICL CLAN 4 minicomputer — one of the largest port computerisation projects in Bangladesh at the time. Over 80 terminals and bespoke application software deployed.

1983–90

Software/ERP Project Manager, Trainer & Business Development

The Computers Ltd., Bangladesh

Managed over 100 ICT, networking and software deployment projects including an over-350 PC system for Islami Bank (2002), and a 100+ terminal Unix system with 10km of fibre and copper network cabling at the British High Commission (1993–97). Spearheaded ICL UK distributorship from 1984–1996; established partnerships with Aptech and CADD Centre, India.

1979–82

Trainee Chartered Accountant

Arthur Young McClelland Moores & Co., Luton, UK UK

Professional training in Audit, Taxation, VAT, Trusts and related disciplines with a leading UK international accounting firm.

1977–78

Industrial Placement — Software Programmer

British American Tobacco Co., Southampton, UK UK

Paid placement in the Department of Computer Science, Group Research and Development Centre (GRDC). Developed statistical test software programs — forming the foundation of a lifelong career at the intersection of technology and business.

Practice Areas

Areas of Expertise

Blockchain Consulting

End-to-end advisory on blockchain architecture, smart contracts, tokenisation, supply chain applications, and regulatory frameworks

Artificial Intelligence Advisory

Strategic guidance on AI adoption, Generative AI, Agentic AI, and productivity transformation for business and government

Cybersecurity Strategy

Cybersecurity advisory for banks, government ministries, and financial institutions including IS security policy frameworks

Information Systems Audit

Comprehensive IS audit for ERP implementations (SAP, Oracle EBS), IT governance review, risk environment assessment

ERP Advisory & Project Management

Pre-ERP readiness, change management, vendor evaluation, implementation oversight for Oracle, SAP and custom ERP platforms

Internal Auditing

Risk-based internal audit, internal controls review, compliance assessment and corporate governance advisory

Digital Transformation

End-to-end digital transformation strategy leveraging AI, Blockchain, IoT and frontier technologies for sustainable organisational change

ICT Training & Capacity Building

Year-long programming courses (Java, C#, PHP), management training, blockchain and AI workshops for 12,000+ participants

Web 3.0 & Decentralised Technologies

Smart contracts, Ethereum DApp development, DAO structures, DeFi applications, and Web 3.0 strategy for startups and enterprises

Capital Markets Technology

Blockchain applications in securities markets, digital asset frameworks, and regulatory technology advisory for BSEC and capital market institutions

Thought Leadership

Selected Speaking Engagements

Mar 2026

Chief Guest
ICAB CRC CPD Seminar — "The ABCD of Technology: Accounting Profession at a Crossroads"
Hotel Agrabad, Chittagong · Organised by Chittagong Regional Council, ICAB
Feb 2026

Panel Speaker
"AI in Accounting and Audit" — ICAB CPD Webinar
Institute of Chartered Accountants, Bangladesh · Dhaka
Jan 2026

Panel Speaker
"Bridging Gaps in the Innovation Ecosystem: What Bangladesh Needs to Do"
Digital Device and Innovation Expo · Min of ICT, Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority & BCS
May 2025

Key Note
"Blockchain Technology: Enhancing Security in the Financial Sector"
InfoSecCon-2025 · Westin Dhaka
Aug 2024

Key Note ×2
"Cyber Security Strategy for Banks" & "Generative AI in the Banking Industry"
Southeast Bank PLC, Dhaka
Jun 2024

Key Note
"AI in Quality Management: How AI is Revolutionising the Quality Process"
27th National Annual Quality Convention (NAQC) 2024 · BIAM Auditorium, Dhaka · Organised by BSTQM
Feb 2023

Short-Term Specialist
Blockchain Training for Customs Officials
USAID Feed the Future Bangladesh Trade Activity · Appointed by IDG (USAID Contractor)
May 2023

Key Note
"Introduction to Blockchain Technology and its Impact on Financial Sector and Auditing"
GMNI Asia Pacific Regional Conference 2023 · Organised by G Kibria & Co., Dhaka
Feb 2021

Presenter
"Blockchain Demystified" — Cabinet Division, Government of Bangladesh
Chaired by Cabinet Secretary · Attended by Bangladesh Bank Governor, Senior Secretary ICT Division, top bank and government officials
May 2019

Presenter
"Blockchain" — Ministry of Finance, Government of Bangladesh
Over 100 officers · Chaired by Finance Secretary · Ministry of Finance, Dhaka
Jan 2019

Presenter ×2
"Technology and Internal Audit" & "Role of Internal Audit in Public Sector Governance"
FIMA (Financial Management Academy of CAG) · Senior Government Officers/Auditors
May 2018

Panel Speaker
"Internal Control as a Means to Achieving Organisational Goals"
Sochi, Russia · ROSSATOM 10th International Anniversary · Invited by IIA Russia
Apr 2017

Key Note
"Cyber Security" — ICAB CPD Seminar
Institute of Chartered Accountants, Bangladesh · Dhaka
Sep 2005

Invited Speaker
"IT and Internet Position in Bangladesh"
NLIA Global Conference · Sponsored by NETPIA · Seoul, South Korea

Global Engagement

International Tours & Representation

Mr. Rabbani has represented Bangladesh's technology and professional accountancy sectors at major international conferences, trade fairs, and industry missions across five continents.

USA — COMDEX Fall & Tech Events (1998, 2000)Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Santa Clara — ICT industry representative

Germany — CeBIT (2002, 2004)Hannover — Exhibitor in Bangladesh Pavillion under SIPPO co-sponsorship

Japan — AOTS Workshop (1993)Yokohama — Two-week Japanese Management Workshop sponsored by MITI

Japan — IIA Global Council (2019)Tokyo — As President, Institute of Internal Auditors Bangladesh

Russia — ROSSATOM Conference (2018)Sochi — Panel Speaker, IIA Russia's 10th International Anniversary

Panama City — IIA Global Council (2018)As President, Institute of Internal Auditors Bangladesh

Portugal — Estonia E-Residency (2019)Lisbon — Attended 5th Anniversary Celebration as invited guest

Greece — IGF Conference (2006)Athens — Invited Speaker, Internet Governance Forum

South Korea — NLIA Conference (2005)Seoul — Presenter on "IT and Internet Position in Bangladesh"

Switzerland — ITU / WSIS Events (2003, 2005, 2006)Geneva — DCCI representative and multilingual internet symposium

India — Multiple Visits (2000, 2002, 2005)Delhi, Calcutta, Bangalore, Bombay, Goa — Government delegations and trade missions

UK — Multiple Engagements (1979–2002)London, Luton, Manchester, Oxford, Belfast — Professional training and trade delegations

Tunisia — WSIS (2005)NLI Consortium Board Meeting and World Summit on the Information Society

Thailand — UNESCAP/WIPO Seminar (2015)Bangkok — "Innovation and Technical Capacity Building for LDCs" as DCCI representative

Leadership & Board Positions

Corporate Governance & Honorary Roles

Independent Director & Chairman, Audit Committee Current

Eastern Bank Ltd

December 2023 – Present

Governing Body Member Current

DCCI Business Institute (DBI) College

Ongoing

Member, Board of Directors

Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd

January 2021 – December 2023

Independent Director

ADN Telecom Ltd

January 2018 – January 2024

Past President (2017–19)

Institute of Internal Auditors Bangladesh (IIAB)

Affiliate of IIA Inc., USA

Vice President (2016) & Director (2015–17)

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI)

Also served as Director 2002–2004

Independent Director

Energypac Power Generation Ltd

January 2016 – January 2019

Director (Board Member from Private Sector)

ICB Securities Trading Company Ltd, Dhaka

2000 – 2012

Founder Treasurer & Secretary

BASIS — Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services

Treasurer 1997–1999 · Secretary 1999–2001

Founder Member & Treasurer

BCS — Bangladesh Computer Samity

1997 – 1999