"And being just a wife should never be the destination. Humanity matters. That is the final goal."

My work in the Publication Department of my office has blessed me with the chance of meeting many successful entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. Last month, I came in touch with Ms. Rubana Huq, a leading RMG Businessperson in Bangladesh. Wearing different hats as a successful tycoon, a poet, an activist, and a conversationalist passionate about South Asia, Rubana injects so much motivation through her speech and way of living that I'm sharing what I have written about her with my World Pulse sisters.

Reminiscing her childhood memories, Rubana said, “My childhood was one of the most blessed phases that could ever be. Absolutely pampered by my parents, I grew up to be a free spirit. I was encouraged to do anything that I ever wanted to do including indulging in classical music. Academia was always a passion and therefore almost 25 years later than schedule, I am pursuing a PhD at Jadavpur University, India.”

Since her teenage, she dreamt of becoming a journalist. “I still have a paper cutting from 1982, right after I stood 1st in HSC, where a newspaper had asked me about my dreams,” she said. “Till date, that is one desire that I would like to stay in touch with always. I love keeping track of media.” she added.

Rubana showcased utmost modesty while sharing her journey of becoming an outstanding executive. “To begin with, I am not an outstanding executive,” she laughed. “I rate myself average and would like to develop myself everyday,” she said instead. “My husband had started this business way back in 1985 and I just joined it in 1996. He needed my help and I was just there to support him. Later, that ‘support’ bit turned into a full-fledged responsibility and I took a lot on my shoulders. I joined the business with the mission of setting it right and taking it to a newer level, and today I remain in the business to implement my vision of siding with concerns of the labor. I plan on becoming a full-fledged activist within a year and move away from the regular marketing chores. I strongly believe that there is a lot to be done for labor and no mediation or external force can ever bring about a change. I am just part of a team that loves challenges and has the feeling of being one,” she continued.

“Nothing ever deters anyone, let alone marriage,” she said while talking about the impact of marriage on her career. “But yes, being a woman is a challenge. Gender bias still seeps in, in spite of the post-modern times that we live through. Traveling the world, lagging suitcases is a reality that has stayed with me for the last two decades. In spite of being a free spirit, till date I remain very conscious of the fact that as a woman, it is essential to neutralize the image of the traditional ‘nari’ in our society,” she added further.

Throughout her corporate journey, Rubana had to face a lot of challenges and hardships but she was always optimistic. “I have never lost hope. I have never had any regrets and I have never failed to rise from the ashes whenever I hit the rock bottom. As human beings, we are bound to fail. But we cannot afford to be grounded by disappointments,” she chirped. “With every tragedy that the sector has suffered, I have leant new lessons and have adopted newer strategies. With Tazreen and with Rana Plaza, there were inner reconciliations that needed to be addressed within. Both the tragedies made me wake up to altered realities. With due respect to the industry, there’s a lot of bridging that needs to be done between the workers and the owners,” she added.

Passionate about education Rubana believes enrolling herself for the PhD program in Jadavpur University in 2010 is a milestone for her. “Another event that I always cherish happened in 2008 when I won the SAARC literary award for poetry. 2006 was also eventful as I was appointed as the CEO of a South Asian television channel which was telecast from Kolkata,” she added. However, she believes she is most successful as a mother. “Giving birth to my children and their dates of birth still top the list of important milestones for me. I take maximum pride in being a mother,” she whooped with a smile.

“Women all over the world have hit a glass ceiling,” said Rubana while speaking about the status of women empowerment in Bangladesh. “In spite of substantial number of women in governance, one does not see the same trend in business. Women are hardly ever encouraged to dream and sore high. Motivation is the only tool to improve the lot of the woman in this country. Bias has to go. Negative mindsets must be erased. The doors of objective assessment must be opened so that women can attempt to qualify for more challenging positions,” she added.

Rubana was selected by BBC for their 100 women conference last year, in which they brought 100 women together from all over the world. From the selected 100 women, ten were then chosen to mentor another ten young ladies with . As a part of this, Rubana mentored Srey Mom, a struggling fashion designer from Cambodia who grew up on a garbage dump in Phnom Penh. “She told me she wanted to be a designer, but I had no idea about her capabilities: no idea she could draw or even read. I knew she didn’t have a formal education but she displayed an indomitable spirit. She had the courage to communicate with me and insist that she wanted to be a successful designer. In response, I paid a visit to her in Cambodia in January. I figured out that her designs were very rough. It was then when I advised her to make some sketches and send them over to me which she did within a week. Then I prepared the counter samples, designed a label and a handtag on which her story was encrypted,” Rubana continued.

She then invited Mom to Bangladesh for visiting her factories to understand commercial design and work practices. “I had planned a surprise for her which was a mini fashion show where the factory workers walked on a ramp wearing her designs. Also, I managed to sell one of her designs to a buyer. My mission to assist Mom for a kickoff in the formal fashion industry was successful.”

Rubana aspires to inspire the women of Bangladesh with her way of living. “I would simply ask them to break barriers within their own selves. Marriage is not an entrapment. A woman should never compromise on her dreams. And being just a wife should never be the destination. Humanity matters. That is the final goal. Doing business with a sincere passion and a humane heart are what matter. Rest will just fall into place with ease,” she concluded.