Mahtab Uddin Ahmed

When is the right time to quit?

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

4d ago

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,

1w ago

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.

2w ago

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.

3w ago

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.

Why we make wrong decisions – error of odds

A reporter once asked a corporate CEO about the secret of his success. His response was two words.

Japan steps in to stem yen falls

Japan intervened in the foreign exchange market on Thursday to buy yen for the first time since 1998, in an attempt to shore up the battered currency after the Bank of Japan stuck with ultra-low interest rates.

Does Bangladesh need a separate digital bank?

Since I started my consultancy operation, my initial focus was on the areas of digital transformation of banks.

Driving transformation in good or bad times

We all know about the funny story of Nasiruddin Hojja and his donkey.

Digital economy or high tax revenue?

An irony of most third-world countries is that honest taxpayers pay more tax and need to be more compliant than those who tend to dodge the system. Not only that, often honest taxpayers even end up getting fined for non-compliance!

Success and satisfaction do not always come hand in hand

A very interesting research was conducted in the US between two groups, one having won a million-dollar lottery and the other having lost a limb in accidents.

Life without internet? And pigs can fly!

Just take a few seconds to imagine what life may be like without the internet. There will be no Amazon or Daraz, no foodpanda orders, no Google Maps, no Netflix, no online games, no online study, widening of digital divide, no IR 4.0, no video calls and the list can go on.

Inflation widening rich-poor gap

In recent months, inflation has taken the world by storm, impacting not only Bangladesh but also countries in the first world. I have learned a few things from my wife through it all.

IR 4.0 for Idiots!

Late last year, I had the opportunity to attend a daylong workshop on IR 4.0 (The Fourth Industrial Revolution) where the speakers included a number of high-level government officials from multiple ministries and institutions.

What to expect when top boss is incompetent?

It is small wonder what happens when a politically-backed chief executive officer of a government construction company gets rewarded for his political affiliation by getting appointed as the top executive in a multinational company (MNC) of a technical and digital nature.

Our love for the Big 4!

When it comes to the Big 4, the corporate trust instincts set in for good reasons but is it time to question if such blind reliance is the best practice always?

Is the next generation ready to take the baton?

I had just come out of a meeting with my friend who is a prominent banker and this very interesting conversation ensued when I told him that I am keen to help family businesses in Bangladesh with my knowledge and experience.

Is the devil outside or inside the organisation?

In my last job during the time between 2014 and 2016, the company performance was well below the mark, with 2016 being a serious disaster.

Good Boss: How do you define a good boss?

Boss is not always right!

I used to have a positional big boss who was new to the job and hardly had knowledge of the industry or the multinational way of working. Every time, my team put up a proposal to him, he would look at others in the meeting instead of me while knowing all too well where the right level of knowledge was to be found.

May 12, 2023