A formal investigation is usually justified where a concern is credible and could involve fraud, bribery, financial misstatement, serious misconduct by a senior person, a safety failure or regulatory exposure. Informal handling may be enough for minor, isolated issues. The decision should be recorded, with reasons, because auditors, regulators or a court may later ask how the company responded. Delay can lead to lost evidence and to allegations that management ignored the problem. We help boards make that call quickly and proportionately, often within days of a report, and set a scope that can be expanded if the facts require.

It depends on the seriousness of the issue and who may be implicated. Internal audit or HR can handle many routine matters. External counsel is usually advisable where senior managers are involved, where criminal or regulatory exposure is possible, where privilege matters, or where findings may be challenged in court or reviewed by a parent company. Oversight should sit with someone independent of the conduct, often the audit committee or a board subcommittee. We regularly work alongside internal audit and forensic accountants, with clear roles, so that the work is efficient and the final report is credible.

Not automatically. Bangladesh protects confidential communications between a client and its advocate made for the purpose of legal advice under the Evidence Act 1872, but the protection is narrower than in some common law jurisdictions, and its application to factual investigation reports and interview notes is less settled. Communications with in-house lawyers may receive less protection. The safest approach is to structure the work under external counsel's instructions, limit circulation, label documents properly and separate factual findings from legal advice where appropriate. We also coordinate with foreign counsel where privilege is assessed under other legal systems.

Usually, but it needs a lawful basis and a proportionate approach. Company-owned systems and devices are generally easier to review than personal ones, and employment contracts, IT policies and prior notices to staff matter. The Personal Data Protection Act 2026 now adds requirements on the purpose, necessity and security of processing personal data, and on transfers outside Bangladesh. Personal devices and messaging apps raise particular sensitivities. We design a review plan that targets relevant data, uses keyword and date filters, records decisions and avoids unnecessary intrusion, so that the evidence is usable and the company is protected.

Often yes, but the rules depend on the employee's category and the company's service rules. For workers covered by the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006, suspension pending inquiry is permitted in defined circumstances, with requirements on the period and on subsistence allowance. Managerial staff may be governed mainly by their contract and internal policies. Suspension should not be presented as a finding of guilt in internal investigations. We advise on the wording of any suspension letter, interim measures such as removing system access, and how to protect the investigation without creating avoidable claims of unfair treatment.

There is no general duty for private companies to report every suspicion, but specific obligations can arise. Banks and other reporting organisations under the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012 must file suspicious transaction reports with the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit. Listed companies may have disclosure duties, and regulated entities may need to inform their regulator. A parent company may face reporting expectations abroad. Voluntary reporting can also be strategically important, and internal investigations often inform that choice. We map the mandatory duties, weigh the advantages and risks of reporting voluntarily, and plan the timing and content of any report carefully.

Carefully, with clear coordination between both processes. Once authorities are involved, the company must avoid any step that could be seen as obstructing the inquiry, destroying evidence or influencing witnesses. At the same time, it still needs to understand the facts to protect its position and meet its duties to shareholders and staff. We advise on responding to notices, producing documents, preparing employees who are summoned, and running parallel internal work in a way that respects the official process. Coordination with individuals' defence counsel is often needed, while keeping the company's interests clearly separate from those of employees under suspicion.

A typical report sets out the allegations, the scope and methodology, the evidence reviewed, the people interviewed, the findings of fact with reasons, and any limitations, such as missing records or witnesses who declined to participate. Recommendations on discipline, recovery, controls and reporting may be included or delivered separately. The format depends on who will read it and whether it may be disclosed, so we discuss that early. Some boards prefer an oral briefing with a short written summary, to manage privilege and circulation risks, while others need a full written report for auditors, insurers, lenders or a parent company.