Mahtab Uddin Ahmed

Cyber terror alert on August 15

In 2020, a cyber-criminal managed to take over the Twitter accounts of several high-profile individuals and companies, including Elon Musk, Joe Biden and Apple. The accounts were used to post a Bitcoin scam, promising followers they would receive double their money back if they sent Bitcoin to a specific address.

3d ago

Who is the next superpower?

One day, the United States, China and Russia met at a racecourse and started arguing about who the next global superpower will be. The United States said, “With the most powerful military in the world, we can defeat any country in a war.”

1w ago

Dealing with performance pressure

Once, a poultry farmer was advised by his industrialist friend to corporatise his farm and how it would multiply his profits.

2w ago

Coaching: the most impactful but mostly neglected

A coach was giving a pep talk to his team before a big game.

3w ago

Ethical data management in an unethical world

In the world that we live in, data is gold, as the saying goes.

Corporate victim stigma!

Incidentally, in the last few months, I had the privilege of spending time with a few top executive-level friends who shared their experiences of being victims of corporate politics. In most cases, their bosses used them as scapegoats to protect themselves.

The future of banking or a flash in the pan?

While struggling to find the English for “Hujuge Bangali” I decided that its essence gets somewhat lost in any other language, so I gave up. In the 80s, there was a mushrooming growth of small-size textiles, followed by a boom in the garments industry.

Jerks at Work: Know Your Colleagues (KYC)

An organisation is like a tree full of monkeys on different limbs at different levels. The monkeys on top look down and see a tree full of smiling faces.

Driving tax revenue using technology

My son has his own studio and content creation platform where many influencers record their programmes. Last week, a very successful entrepreneur was interviewed. He explained that during the pandemic, he created an online marketplace that became highly successful.

When the fox is the keeper

The tales of the cunning fox deceiving other animals are integral to our childhood. In one of these stories, this mother crocodile leaves her five babies with the clever fox to tutor them.

Pace of digital progress making local law invalid!

Economists dub the lottery a stupidity tax because the odds of getting any payoff by investing in a lottery ticket are approximately equivalent to flushing the money down the toilet.

When is the right time to quit?

Saquib used to work at a pizza joint where the manager happened to be very miserly.

Is AI destroying the education system?

While studying the prospects of a digital university, I met one of our finest vice-chancellors who have the vision to launch a true digital university. During our discussion,

Your failures don’t define you

During my university days, I was asked by my father to take charge of a horticulture project on a large piece of hilly land in our village in Cumilla.

Why do we judge so quickly?

Two friends, Pessimist and Optimist, were on a bus ride when the latter suggested they stop for a meal.

Is digital addiction as bad as drugs?

A cop caught an addict with drugs in a public toilet.

Ramadan: it’s party time!

Ramadan is increasingly becoming a month of feasting and festivities instead of charity, where profiteering in business, fun, and frolic are the mantra

Great resignation to unprecedented tech layoffs

A college friend who was once an outstanding student failed to do well in his IT career. His family of two university students barely managed with his single income until the pandemic.

Our love for foreign CEOs over locals

In one of my expat job locations, I discovered that the status symbol of that society would be having a western CEO in their company.

Regain trust in electoral system using blockchain

In recent times, people seem to be smitten with the term, blockchain, popping it into conversations without much knowledge of the concept.

Ethics in the unethical world

There was once a young and talented woman who got a job at a corporate giant.

Future of payments: physical to digital currency

Many of you have probably heard the “Bitcoin Pizza Story” where this man buys a pizza with 10,000 Bitcoins as the value of Bitcoin at the time was only a few cents.

CSR or eyewash!

A common sight during winter months in recent years has been the distribution of blankets by our politicians, corporate leaders and businessmen to communities with little or no real need for them.

Will AI only displace jobs?

The anchor of a popular US talk show confronted Alexa, an artificial intelligence (AI) bot, regarding complaints from its users concerning Alexa’s creepy laugh.

Listening is caring: Do you care?

Some common complaints are: my friends don’t listen to me, my colleagues don’t listen to me, my husband doesn’t listen to me, and even my parents don’t listen to me.

How to build a Smart Bangladesh

Once upon a time, there was a man who always bragged about his smartness. One day he came across an old man from his village and boasted, “I am the smartest man in the world. Nobody can match my intelligence.”

Why put all degrees and titles on visiting cards

Walking back from the corner shop, Mr Chowdhury met a neighbour who inquired about what his sons are doing nowadays.

Cyber security threats to Smart Bangladesh

In 2016, a group of hackers calling themselves “The Impact Team” hacked into Ashley Madison dating website and exposed the personal information of 37 million users.

Why we struggle to share credit

Back in the day when we went to university, it was a common feature in every batch to have a group of friends who would inadvertently have a designated “Khadem” or “assistant” from the same class, an ordinary-looking, kind-hearted male classmate who would take care of their every need at the drop of a hat!

Can AI be a threat to human existence?

A group of scientists developed the most advanced artificial intelligence (AI) in the world, but they were left speechless when it announced,

Dealing with corporate politics and politicians

Once a young boy went to a “Boishakhi Mela” with his father and came upon a vendor selling parrots, which he wished to have dearly.

Digital trends transforming workplace

While it is vital to introduce digital technologies to workplaces, it is equally important to identify the problem areas where they can be implemented. Let’s look at some of the recent digital trends which will impact workplaces in the immediate future.

Giving feedback to your boss

On their way to lunch, the chief financial officer (CFO), the chief human resources officer (CHRO) and their boss stumble on a beaten-up but valuable-looking brass container.

Digital transformation: the term mostly abused

I had the privilege of working with a good number of high-tech wizards in a recent event where I found most of the chief technology officers (CTOs) are upset that the IT budget has been slashed due to the looming economic uncertainties and the ensuing challenges in the banking sector.

Lest they judge

Once upon a time, Nasiruddin Hojja was riding a donkey with his friend.

Are we safe from cyber hackers?

Mr Jones is a mafia leader who manages all his secret deals and finances on his laptop, which is his regular companion.

Dealing with a bad boss

It is common that when a boss cracks a poor joke, we all laugh our hearts out.

Mahbub Jamil: a corporate leader and a nation builder

At its inception Bangladesh had only a handful of successful corporate leaders and Mahbub Jamil was one of them. I cringe from using the past tense for Jamil Bhai. With his passing we have lost a great leader, mentor and friend.

How does social media know what I am thinking?

Back in my university days, I had the privilege of learning a management theory which was of significant value later in my corporate years. It is called Johari Window for self-awareness, a technique to self-improve by knowing oneself better.

The art of bribery

I know of a deputy managing director of a financial institution who has a fascination for driving fancy cars, something that most young kids dream of.

Domestic help key to happiness!

In our childhood home in the old town of the 1970s, we had quite a large number of domestic helps. The scale of domestic work was also at another level with a green backyard of domestic cattle and poultry, not to mention the endearing cats and dogs.

Why we make wrong decisions – instant gratification

One of the things that I learned while dealing with professional marketeers is that instant gratification is very important for any successful product promotion. But I often wonder why people prefer instant gratification.

The death of traditional telecoms: Is it imminent?

Don’t panic! Telecoms are not going anywhere! But technology will certainly be hugely disrupted with the advent of high bandwidth and low-latency satellite internet.

Why we make wrong decisions – error of values

As a CEO, I had once asked the chief procurement officer and the chief technology officer to deliver 50 per cent savings on radio network items for the implementation of an ambitious growth plan. They looked at each other in disbelief and told me that they had already squeezed the vendors so much in the last few years that it would simply be impossible.

Does Bangladesh need 5G now?

During a rural market visit a few years ago, I discovered, to my amusement, a keen interest in 5G penetration among the villagers. When I asked why they need 5G at all, as most did not have a smartphone, their shy excuses said it all. And why not, I urged them. There is nothing wrong with dreaming high.