The company said they started the audit in March 2006, adding, "How could we be involved in the misappropriation with the managing director from 2003 to June 2006 was not clear in the report.

However, as statutory auditors for 2005 our responsibility was to express our opinion on the financial statement as per Section 211 of The Companies Act, 1994."

The rejoinder stated, "We specifically quantified the understatement of loss of Tk 526.2 crore in the report and stated some points of specific non-compliance with banking rules by the company. The period covered in the report is 2003 to June 2006. We were auditors for 2005 only and the previous auditors (Khan Wahab Shafitur Rahman & Co) conducted the audit of three consecutive years up to 2004."

Protesting their involvement in the report, the company said, "The involvement of Masih Muhith Haque & Co as auditor on daily operation of the bank is imaginary and was reported on surmise basis. The report has damaged our goodwill, caused loss to our business and defamed our personal standings in profession. Such reporting about our involvement without any basis should not be made in future only to defame us whether intentionally or unknowingly as such."

In another rejoinder to a report titled, "Oriental Bank asked to sue Obaidul, ex-MD, 21 others," former Oriental Bank official Syed Sarfaraz Shah said the report was false, baseless and unjust.

He said he worked as principal officer and manager (operation) of Oriental Bank between October 13, 2003 and June 6, 2004 and joined the State Bank of India on June 17, 2004 with a no objection certificate.

"During my time in the responsible post, government and banking level authorities audited all our operations and presented audit reports; the reports did not contain any allegations of irregularity or corruption," he stated.

OUR REPLY
The name of Masih Muhith Haque & Co was written in the report because its name was mentioned in the first information report (FIR) filed by Oriental Bank on January 25 with Tejgaon Police Station.

The name of Syed Sarfaraz Shah was mentioned in the same FIR.