‘Each person can dream big’
> Rohul Kudduss Manik > Age: 33 > Bangladesh > area supervisor, cleaning division of Al Fajer consultant
DUBAI — Armed with a higher secondary certificate, Rohul Kudduss Manik came to Dubai in 2006 as a direct hire from Bangladesh. He was just 22 then, newly married. He left his wife back home to venture into a land where everything was developing at a frantic pace.
“I had to leave my wife, Najma, because I was looking for a suitable job that would help both of us start a new family,” Rohul told Khaleej Times. “It was a sacrifice I had to make because of my dream to give my family a good life.”
And that good life Rohul found after he landed a job at Al Fajer Facilities Management Company, where he has been working in the past 11 years. “I saw an ad in a newspaper in Dhaka, I applied for the job, got an interview, was given an orientation and flew to Dubai to start my work as a cleaner,” Rohul said.
Rohul said he was initially overwhelmed being in a new city. With only a few friends at the beginning of his migrant life, homesickness was a dilemma he had to endure. “But my wife and family are my inspiration so I persevered,” Rohul said.
A typical day for Rohul was to wake up at 5am, have breakfast, wait for the company bus and go to work. The hard breaking work would usually end at 6pm and back to accommodation to get a good rest. Work was six days a week with a starting salary of around Dh600, aside from the free accommodation, food and transportation. Most of his salary was sent home to his family.
Fast forward to present time. By the sweat of his brow and his leadership skills, Rohul is now an area supervisor in charge of 320 staff who provide cleaning services for big companies such as Majid Al Futtaim, Microsoft and Nokia.
Rohul wants to impart the value of hard work and loyalty to his tea members as the key ingredients to be successful in life. “Hard work and dedication always pays off. I am a living example of someone who started very small, and now I have achieved my dream of leading my own team,” says Rohul
Constant learning is also important. Rohul credits his bosses for giving him the chance to climb the corporate ladder and for giving him tips along the way. “I have learnt a lot from them, especially from our CEO Mohammed Al Beloushi, and they have shown me that everybody is given equal opportunities as long as you put in good work.”
“I have two beautiful daughters who are eight and four years old. They are both in school. I see my wife and kids during my annual leave and the most important thing is I can provide for their needs,” Rohul beams with a smile.
His advice for ‘dreamers’ like him: “Each person, no matter what his status in life, can dream big and work towards achieving his dream. Just never settle and always give your best and the rewards will surely come.”