my  ($rpt_name, $desname, $btch, $record) = @ARGV[0..3];

##</code><code>##

# following the above
my @args= ("path/to/prog", "report=$rpt_name" , ...); 

##</code><code>##

#get rid of $retval, too, unless you need it
system(@args) and die "System failed: $?\n";