I was asked to write a blog on how Asiatic has managed to be one of the most gender-neutral agency in this male-dominated industry in Bangladesh. I think it’s quite simple. It was never our agenda to focus on building a gender balance, it’s set in automatically and naturally. When I joined Asiatic Karachi, my first ever boss was a female Executive Director, Nilufa Khanum. Now, we employ those who share our ideology, has competence, hunger for knowledge and motivation. When an application is made for a particular job, intellectually speaking, it is not for me to see whether it is a man or a woman, it has always been dependent on how they deliver their work. If they are good and deserving, I am nobody to judge which gender they belong to.

It is necessary for me to give a little background on my personal life. I was born towards the end of the colonial period, in a family where the men and women, without premeditated plan or design, grew up to be equal. In fact, a difference in the physical ability never intimidated anyone’s position within the family. I don’t ever remember having made a distinction between the genders, in terms of social norms or behavior patterns.

For all practical purposes this agency is run by a woman, and I know that there is not going to be any difference in judgment. I have discovered that her judgment is exactly the same as mine would have been under the same circumstances. I think that had an inspiration in my professional life.

Asiatic has been this way since its inception. It has always welcomed talented professionals and their passion for creativity. We have balanced better together and the women of Asiatic are an integral part of my team of ideaholics who make the organization stronger.