Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, managing director of BuildCon Consultancies Ltd

Mahtab Uddin Ahmed

When the watchdogs sleep

The inquiry committee – the corporate world’s ultimate weapon of mass distraction. These panels, ornamented with terms of reference and corporate lingo, have gained global recognition not for delivering justice but for achieving the delicate art of appearing busy while doing absolutely nothing. From New York’s Wall Street to Dhaka’s Gulshan Avenue, inquiry committees are universally cherished by management whenever swift justice must be thoroughly avoided or derailed.

1d ago

Highway to justice on a rickshaw

Someone I know once joked, “In Bangladesh, legal process is like a traffic signal -- it exists, but nobody follows it.” I know of a family that has been caught in a legal battle regarding land for decades. It is the kind of dispute that survives elections, grey hairs, and a few judges. They have won every round up to the top court, but the case? It is still pending outside the court. The legal system here is not just blind -- it is apparently waiting in traffic, hoping to dodge the maxim justice delayed is justice denied.

1w ago

Old roots, new realities

In our days, one landline served the entire moholla – and half the neighbourhood aunties answered your calls before your parents did. If you misbehaved, Amma’s flying chappal had GPS-guided accuracy – one silent glare, one clean hit. Eid was pure magic: a new panjabi, some Tk 10 Eidi, and rooftop laughter with cousins till midnight. Fast forward to today, where kids have personal phones, fear screen-time limits more than chappals, and won’t call it Eid unless there’s a new outfit, a viral reel, and at least 500 likes before lunch.

2w ago

Money talks, bribes walk

In a small Bangladeshi town, a politician sought advice from his lawyer friend after making a questionable move.

4w ago

Leadership: Dealing with idiots

Molla Nasiruddin took his donkey to the roof, but it refused to come down. Despite his efforts, the stubborn donkey resisted, kicking relentlessly.

1m ago

Ethically unethical marketing

Consumers worldwide notice that companies often use sneaky tricks to boost profits at the customers’ expense.

1m ago

Beat the trap of procrastination

How common is it in our daily life when a teacher or boss sets a deadline, and we all think, “Oh, I’ll start in ten days!” Suddenly, time shrinks, and it’s panic mode: emergency declared, day-and-night sprints commence, and the assignment emerges from chaos.

2m ago

Beat the procrastination trap

Is procrastination just a well-choreographed dance with time?

2m ago
April 25, 2025
April 25, 2025

When the watchdogs sleep

The inquiry committee – the corporate world’s ultimate weapon of mass distraction. These panels, ornamented with terms of reference and corporate lingo, have gained global recognition not for delivering justice but for achieving the delicate art of appearing busy while doing absolutely nothing. From New York’s Wall Street to Dhaka’s Gulshan Avenue, inquiry committees are universally cherished by management whenever swift justice must be thoroughly avoided or derailed.

April 18, 2025
April 18, 2025

Highway to justice on a rickshaw

Someone I know once joked, “In Bangladesh, legal process is like a traffic signal -- it exists, but nobody follows it.” I know of a family that has been caught in a legal battle regarding land for decades. It is the kind of dispute that survives elections, grey hairs, and a few judges. They have won every round up to the top court, but the case? It is still pending outside the court. The legal system here is not just blind -- it is apparently waiting in traffic, hoping to dodge the maxim justice delayed is justice denied.

April 11, 2025
April 11, 2025

Old roots, new realities

In our days, one landline served the entire moholla – and half the neighbourhood aunties answered your calls before your parents did. If you misbehaved, Amma’s flying chappal had GPS-guided accuracy – one silent glare, one clean hit. Eid was pure magic: a new panjabi, some Tk 10 Eidi, and rooftop laughter with cousins till midnight. Fast forward to today, where kids have personal phones, fear screen-time limits more than chappals, and won’t call it Eid unless there’s a new outfit, a viral reel, and at least 500 likes before lunch.

March 28, 2025
March 28, 2025

Money talks, bribes walk

In a small Bangladeshi town, a politician sought advice from his lawyer friend after making a questionable move.

March 7, 2025
March 7, 2025

Leadership: Dealing with idiots

Molla Nasiruddin took his donkey to the roof, but it refused to come down. Despite his efforts, the stubborn donkey resisted, kicking relentlessly.

February 28, 2025
February 28, 2025

Ethically unethical marketing

Consumers worldwide notice that companies often use sneaky tricks to boost profits at the customers’ expense.

February 21, 2025
February 21, 2025

Beat the trap of procrastination

How common is it in our daily life when a teacher or boss sets a deadline, and we all think, “Oh, I’ll start in ten days!” Suddenly, time shrinks, and it’s panic mode: emergency declared, day-and-night sprints commence, and the assignment emerges from chaos.

February 20, 2025
February 20, 2025

Beat the procrastination trap

Is procrastination just a well-choreographed dance with time?

February 14, 2025
February 14, 2025

A comedy of exploitation

Move over nine-to-five office hours! In Bangladesh, where traffic jams are our unofficial “overtime”, the idea of a 90-hour workweek sounds like a plot twist in a Dhallywood movie.

February 7, 2025
February 7, 2025

Regulation without enforcement

Thinking about building your dream home in a prominent real estate compound? Brace yourself for a mountain of rules that, surprise, primarily benefit the authority.