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G Dustogir Touhid : Alvee Rana, The young entrepreneur is the director of a large domestic conglomerate Union Limited and the Managing Director of Vibrant Software Limited. The young icon will tell the story of the opportunities of the youth of the country, the various possibilities of the mobile industry and some of his goals. Mr. Alvee Rana, the Director of Union Limited, unequivocally one of the largest conglomerates in Bangladesh, was exposed from a very early age to the environments, cultures and languages of separate countries, owed to his studies and schooling abroad. Promptly at the completion of his high school graduation, he joined the Singapore National Service and therein served for 2 years. During this given time span, he grasped the meaning of unparalleled work ethic and the very essence of strong, reliable leadership skills was ingrained in him. One can observe his amazing achievements and exemplary service reflected on the portrayal of his life.
Due to his leadership qualities he was allocated to the (SRU) Special Rescue Unit in the Singapore Civil Defence forces (SCDF) as he concluded his training. His hands of work go further beyond and to the charitable and nonprofit organizations as he is the son of Bangladesh, who has worked for his society and community to raise funds for great initiatives such as to construct schools, provide light in the darkest of remote areas, also a volunteer for the Jaago foundation which works in such areas to help the needy.
He always had a way of unconventionally having his way accompanied by the spirit and the resolve to think beyond the ordinary in unorthodox methods that shows the world his potential.
He dreams, in his father’s footsteps, to have the business reach never foreseen heights and innovate and commence new ideas, all while expanding the operation of the company in an international manner. Alvee Rana is still the youngest managing director of his generation, a manufacturing unit for Nokia’s feature and smart phones. A point of pride for the nation as Nokia has been the first ever phone to be on the hands of tens of millions of people in Bangladesh since 1996.
The current production capacity of this technology company, which is in tune with the modern world, has reached two and a half million units of feature phones and forty thousand smart phones per month and aims to produce one million units in just a few short months. Alvee Rana is one of the founding members and directors of the Mobile Importers Association of Bangladesh (MIOB) and has taken an initiative to introduce Bangladeshi phones worldwide.
Under his supervision, CPL (Compustar Pvt. Ltd.) already a sole national distributor of a premium product like iPhone in Bangladesh, after his joining, has made this premium product come at an affordable price while ensuring first class customer service which resulted in him making CPL the only authorised Apple Service Centre in Bangladesh. While also making it his mission to tackle the grey market where iPhone and other Apple products are smuggled in and sold without the license of the BTRC (Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission). He has spoken directly to the minister of Telecom, Mr. Mustafa Jabbar and brought up the topic boldly during a meeting along with other Bangladeshi phone manufacturers and importers.
Mr. Rana’s outstanding determination has made CMPL (Cellular Mobile PTE Limited) the national distributer of Nokia, expand the business all over the country and made possible to introduce the first ever made in Bangladesh Nokia Smartphone. Vibrant Software Ltd. (BD) A manufacturing unit especially for Nokia feature and smart phones. The factory is run completely by Europrean standards while all employees are highly and specially trained to build for not only Nokia but any phone possible in the market.
His ambitious thinking made Quartel Info Tech (the brand owner of Maximus and a subsidiary of Union LImited) reach to the root level of all over the country. Helping from the lower Income to the middle class families have a phone in their hands.
After further conversing with him again from his words, ‘I had a very amazing but strict childhood due to the loss of my elder brother 2 months before I was born. It caused my father to have some serious traumas where I wouldn’t be allowed alone. Shortly I was sent to boarding school in India where I had to live under strict rules and regulations, maintained a disciplined lifestyle where the day started from 5:30 am. I stayed there till I finished my IGCSE board exams then came back to Bangladesh joined ISD for 2 years to finish my high school/IB. After graduating from high school, while my friends went away abroad such as to United States or Canada etc. I was directly enlisted to the Singapore National Service for Military Training for 2 years where also rules and regulations were absolute, day started at 4:30 am with PT and ended at 10:30 or 11pm after ironing or washing our uniforms. There is a short motivational hit or a poke shared by my father time and again which gave me the zeal about leading a good life also maintaining good health is, ‘you can be the king of the world, but if you are bedridden then what good is it and is it even worth it?’
Mr. Rana looks upto his father who has been nothing but a role model not just for the family but the entire business community of Bangladesh, His father instilled in him a strong work ethic, morales, principles to maintain a dignity with himself and others around him. Juria Rana, his mother who did nothing but sacrifice and compromise from the time she sent him away to boarding school and only visited during his holidays or meet him when he would come back to Dhaka. In his words ‘I couldn’t be more grateful for such parents who I used to wonder about how and why they were doing it but through hindsight I doubt not many other parents would sacrifice to such a high degree.’ Not leaving behind his wife Nijhum Rana, who is currently finishing her higher studies in Business Management in North South University in Dhaka.
Alvee Rana’s tip for the youth is quite simple and to the point so again in his words, ‘I have lived both the life of a golden spoon fed teen and a hard working teen with money limitations who was left completely alone to earn and learn the hard life for about 2 years plus. For the golden spoon fed teens out there it is necessary for you to get out of your comfort zone, break the norms and get an internship or even something to keep yourself busy, of course you have many friends and you could be the popular one out there who loves to have a laugh and I also know your parents might find that it will hurt their ego or their stature in the society but in the end of the day you have to live for yourself and your quality of life depends on your actions, later on procrastination and distractions will lead to destruction so it’s better to focus and not be laid back all day long. For the hardworking teen, break some rules.. go out with friends or do something you wouldn’t dare to do. I’m not telling you to go wild and crazy but hang out with your friends maybe once in a while instead of thinking your actions of sacrificing your social life and sleep will result to an unimaginable life, but hears the truth it won’t, it might result in a similar life which will be the same as studying all day long and not having a social life later on. For example landing a secured job with a fixed salary.(hoping for promotions every year and if you’re lucky, then finding a boss who will recognize your work instead of piling on more on your shoulders). Work on your social skills, emotional intelligence and iq. these all play vital roles in being your own man/woman and to be a good business man it will help you learn how to connect. The stronger your network the stronger your business hold.’
