I was inspired to become an accountant when studying at secondary school. I saw an audit report for a renowned corporation published in the newspaper. I had no clear idea about auditing at that time, so I asked my uncle about it. He explained it to me in such a way that it clicked, and I was curious to know more about the profession.
I joined an audit firm in Dhaka called Hoda Vasi Chowdhury and also studied for my ACCA, which I knew was a prestigious qualification to pursue. HVC is one of the oldest firms in Bangladesh and joining the firm at the beginning of my career proved a wise decision. After qualifying in 2015, I decided to move into the corporate sector and joined Accenture, which provided a boost to my career.
Testing your limits gives you the confidence and strength to explore
I was always very keen about ERP [enterprise resource planning] which helped me to secure a job with IFS as a finance consultant, and my career has taken off from there. In my current role at Envecon, I work on IFS implementation projects from my home in Dhaka, Bangladesh, travelling to clients in the Middle East and Europe as projects require.
I like being on the edge of my comfort zone. It is tough, but testing your limits gives you the confidence and strength to explore. If you succeed, you get a competitive advantage and if you fail, then it is only a stepping-stone towards success.
Moving from accounting to become an ERP consultant was a challenge in that it changed the entire direction of my career. However, I realised that IT is playing a vital role in every profession and the challenge was worth taking.
Meeting customer needs is sometimes very demanding, but we need to work around solutions. ERP is designed in such a way that people can use it regardless of their industry. However, solutions for one industry are not the same as the solutions for another, so we cannot give industry-wide answers. We follow PMI [Project Management Institute] guidelines for project management, using a hybrid methodology, and most of our projects take around eight to 12 months.
IT knowledge with accountancy skills is the best combination, as it will drive the world in the near future
When it comes to expectations, customers often want to automate everything regardless of their industry and their company readiness. We always check the feasibility before making any commitments.
If I had law-making powers in Bangladesh, I would rebuild the healthcare system, especially in rural areas. A district-wide centralised healthcare system would be developed where everyone is treated equally. I would also increase the health budget to at least 8-10% of the country’s total annual budget.
I love working with people from different cultures and backgrounds. I enjoy learning about their problems and then providing solutions. Working with different types of people gives me professional exposure and prepares me for future challenges. It helps me to learn and take best practice from around the globe, so I can apply it in the workplace. I feel my biggest achievement to date was completing a complex project in Saudi Arabia two months ahead of schedule and within budget.
If I were not an accountant I would work in IT. However, I think IT knowledge with accountancy skills is a great combination, as it will drive the world in the near future. I believe we are all already aware of this since the pandemic, where technology played a safeguarding role for us all. Working from home is the new normal now and it is only possible through technology.
In my spare time I enjoy playing cricket and watching football on the television. I especially like spending time with friends and family.
