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Drishty Berger Star Campus Brainstorming 2010
Business Case-Solving Competition

Masudur Rahman

They say, an idea can change your life, but a challenge can make you a legend. To put the creative minds to a challenge of innovative business ideas, a business case solving competition took place in the port city from 12th to 23rd of last month under the title 'Drishty Berger Star Campus Brainstorming 2010'. The response was immensely fabulous for the first ever branding challenge organized for institutions of Chittagong only. This competition was organized in association with Chittagong Stock Exchange.

Brainstorming 2010 was aimed at enhancing skills of school and university-level students on different issues of marketing and business. The competition was held in two categories, including schools along with universities to add a new flavor to the business competitions. It was organized by Drishty Chittagong, an educational and extra-curricular based organization, that has been working in the field of debate for the past 18 years.

Day One
At the RPATC Auditorium, the competition kicked off with a branding and business marketing related workshop conducted by Prof. Abdullah Mamun, A Qaiyum Chowdhury, Faculty member, East Delta University, Imtiaz Alam, Regional Head (finance), Warid Telecom, and Md. Kaikaus, Manager, Grameen phone. The trainers are all from business and corporate background, and they briefed the attendees on the basics of presentation, product marketing, promotional activities, deliverance in person and tips on improving the presentation and marketing skills. All the school and university level participants attended the grooming workshop. The chief guest at the ceremony was Professor Md, Sikandar Khan, President ,Bangladesh Economics Society, Chittagong Chapter, and the competition was inaugurated by Professor Syed Ahsanul Alam Parvez, Chairman, Imperial Group and Chairman, Marketing Dept. of Chittagong University.

Day Two
The opening ceremony took place on the 16th of February 2010, and it was held at Theatre Institute Chittagong auditorium.

This session was inaugurated by Monowara Hakim Ali, President, Women Chamber of Commerce and Industries (WE), Chittagong. Shuvra Biswas, Prominent Cultural personality was special guest of this session. Shahidul Islam Hero, Joint Secretary, Drishty conducted this session. It was followed by the school level primary round. Twelve teams attended the school category, which included Sunshine Grammar School, William Carey Academy, Cider International School, Mastermind School, Presidency School, Chittagong Govt. Girls School, BAWA School, Silver Bells girls High School, Green Vale School and Agrabad Girls School. The school teams presented on branding and promotion of different products they are familiar with. Judges of this round were-Rashedul Amin Rashed, Manager, Dutch Bangla Bank limited, Tahid Khan, Executive, Alcatel, USA, Adnan Mannan, Lecturer, USTC, Rafiul Munir, President, FBDA, Chittagong University. William Carey Academy, Cider International School, Silver Bells School, BAWA School became the finalists.

Day Three
On the 19th of February 2010, 22 teams from 10 universities took part in the university category primary round. The university names include Chittagong University, Independent University, Bangladesh, University of Science & Technology, Chittagong, Premier University, Southern University, International Islamic University, Chittagong, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, East Delta University and BGC Trust University. The teams participated in a re-branding challenge, specifically, re-branding of products for which there used to be a fast-growing demand, but eventually the consumers have lost their appetite. There area of re-branding was various sweets and confectionary, transport service, community centre etc. Students did practical research and market analysis and survey on these products. Adjudicators of this round were Mushtak Ahmed, One Bank limited, Ahmad Dawood, Chittagong Stock Exchange, Mohammad Hasan, Accounts Manager, Citycell, Jobayer ALam, Manager(Financial Analyst), Grameen phone, Nazrana Yusuf, Deputy Manager, Grameen phone, Adnan Mannan, Best presenter, British national business plan presentation competition for Biologists. Chittagong University (Marketing dept.), International Islamic University Chittagong, East Delta University, Premier University, Chittagong University (Finance Dept.) became the finalists.

Day Four
The final day was held on the 23rd of February where the finalists challenged each other to clinch the championship. The School level champion was Silver Bells Girls' School, consisting of Missowra Rahman, Fatima Emrose and Farzin Hassan, and the Runner up team was William Carey Academy consisting of Eshan Newaz, Tehjeb Abtahi and Indranil mallik as both the teams went for re-branding a bakery shop and fast food shop. Adjudicators of this session were- Rashedul amin Rashed, Mohammad Hasan and Nazrana Yusuf.

In the university round, the champion was Chittagong University team, consisting of Sufian Mohammad Khaled, Azadul Islam, S. M. Mokaddes and Ahmed Dipu. They marketed a hand paste, on the other hand the runner up team East Delta University, consisting of Arafat Hossain, Intezar Mahmud, Sarah Rahman marketed a new energy drink as their challenge was to develop a new product for the market.

There was also a strong panel of adjudicators, comprising - Professor Mohammed Abdullah Mamun, CEO, Chittagong Stock Exchange, Kamrul Huda, corporate personality, Citi Bank NA, Tasneem A Karim, Consultant, Abul Khair group, Salim Bin Saleh, Deputy general Manager ,Sanmar Properties Limited.

Berger Paint Bangladesh Ltd Managing Director (MD) Rupali Chowdhury, Managing Editor of the daily Purbokone Jasim Uddin Chowdhury, CSE Chief Executive Officer Prof Abdullah Mamun, Sunshine Grammar School and College Principal Safia Ghazi Rahman, Berger Paint General Manager Humayra Amin, cultural activist Subhra Biswas, consultant of Abul Khair Consumers Goods Tasnim A Karim and Sanmar Properties Ltd Deputy General Manager Selim Bin Saleh were present at the prize giving ceremony. Saif Chowdhury, General Secretary, Drishty, Ctg., Masud Bakul, President, Drishty, Mili Chowdhury, Vice President, Drishty also spoke on the occasion. The closing session was conducted by Adnan Mannan, Joint Secretary, Drishty, Ctg & Convenor, Brainstorming.

The Berger Paint MD said it was the beginning of a unique initiative and called on the participants not to be fearful and do more research to make business and marketing plans properly. “Quality product cannot be given at low cost and the manufacturer should fix a price of the product depending on its quality. Principal Safia Ghazi Rahman said the students have done a quite challenging job through the presentations of business and marketing plans and called on them to keep the initiative up for building a bright future.

The competition was sponsored by Berger Bangladesh Ltd, and whole-heartedly supported by Chittagong Stock Exchange. The media partner for the competition was Star Campus.

(The writer is a debater and Joint Secretary for Media & Communication, Drishty Chittagong.)

Funny Bones

At the height of a political corruption trial, the prosecuting attorney attacked a witness.
"Isn't it true," he bellowed, "that you accepted five thousand dollars to compromise this case?"

The witness stared out the window, as though he hadn't heard the question.

"Isn't it true that you accepted five thousand dollars to compromise this case?" the lawyer repeated. The witness still did not respond.

Finally, the judge leaned over and said, "Sir, please answer the question."
"Oh," the startled witness said, "I thought he
was talking to you."

One day, two guys decide to take a drive to a local grocery store to get some lunch. On the way to the store they ran into an intersection with a stoplight. The light showed red. The man driving went right through the red light. The passenger looked at the driver and screamed, "What the heck are you doing? You're going to get us killed!" Then the driver responded, "Don't worry, my mother allways drives like this."

So later on, the two guys came to another stoplight and that too was red. The driver sped right through the light. Again the passenger looked at the driver and said, "I thought I told you, you're gonna get us killed! Would you please stop this nonsense!" The driver looked at the passenger and responded, "All right! I get it but I told you My mother drives like this all the time!"

Again, the two guys ran into another light. This time in was green. The Driver slammed on his breaks and stopped the car totally. "What the hell are you doing?" The passenger screamed. "This is the third time you almost got us killed. Why did you stop at a green light?" "Well, my mother might be coming the other way!" The driver said.