Connecting with the World from Bangladesh —The Job of a Trade Professional is Full of Challenges Every Day

I joined Sumitomo Corporation Asia & Oceania Pte. Ltd.’s liaison office in Bangladesh in 2019. After joining, I started working in the Steel and Metal Department, which oversees supplying raw materials such as Electrolytic Tin Plate, Hot Rolled Coil, Cold Rolled Coil, Galvanized Iron, and Galvalume to the Bangladesh market mainly from Japan and Taiwan. We have a large loyal customer base including some of the biggest conglomerates in Bangladesh. Besides my regular job, I am also involved in other projects at our office. This year, I am involved with the Dhaka office’s 100SEED Project (*1), which is very close to my heart. In addition, I am working in the D&I team to promote diversity in terms of culture and nationality.

*1. Sumitomo Corporation Group’s CSR project with employee participation. SEED stands for Sumitomo Corporation Group: Emergent, Evolutional, Deed.

4Week Schedule

1st Week: Weekly internal meeting with the Steel and Metal Department

We have weekly internal meetings with all team members to review our business and action plans to achieve departmental goals. This meeting is very effective for keeping the whole team on the same page.

2nd Week: Visiting a customer’s factory in Chittagong (Chattogram)

As a part of my regular work, I often visit the factories of our valuable customers who manufacture different kinds of steel products. These visits help us to understand their factory operations, supply chain management, challenges, and working methods so that we can better support them. It also helps to strengthen our bonds with customers and enrich our knowledge.

I recently attended a networking program titled “Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Japan-Bangladesh Diplomatic Relations,” which was organized by the Japanese Commerce and Industry Association in Dhaka (JCIAD) and the Japan Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JBCCI).

4th Week: Leading the Dhaka Office’s 100SEED Project

This year, I am involved with the Dhaka Office’s 100SEED Project. We have signed an MOU with Ekmattra Society, an NGO, in order to implement action plans. We are working with the NGO to support underprivileged children by donating education supplies, teaching virtual classes, and spending special event with them.

Over the last year, we have faced many difficulties due to the covid pandemic, but I worked with team to figure out a strategy for meeting our year-end targets. When we succeeded, I felt a great sense of accomplishment. I believe in working hard and always giving one hundred percent. I believe that hard work and perseverance will help me achieve greater professional success. I also feel that aligning the company’s vision and values with my own is one way to achieve that. The taste of success after a failure is what keeps the fire going within me, no matter what the circumstances.
I try to maintain a sense of ownership, both in my own work and my overall work environment, and always seek out opportunities to contribute to other projects. Every day brings something new and different, and those surprises motivate me. I’m grateful to our great leaders who inspire me to be passionate and to love my job.

My Motivation

Helping and empowering people is what motivates me the most. Whether a colleague, friend or relative, everyone needs help from time to time, and I relish the opportunity to reach out to such people. It gives me a sense of confidence and belief that I can be of some help. Lending a helping hand is about making the person feel upbeat, energetic, and positive. One of my biggest motivations is my family. They are my biggest source of inspiration and my strongest supporters as well. My family has taught me to never give up, even when the job is tough.

My Holiday

I love spending holidays with family and friends. I also love traveling to new places, seeing new things, and trying adventurous activities like hiking, parasailing, kayaking, and fishing. Taking a break from work and spending time with my family helps to relax my mind and soul.