Rubaba Dowla says if your principles are strong, none can stop you

“Your principles and values must never waver. Keep them strong; because when your ethics are firm, no one can stop you.”

This was the core message Rubaba Dowla shared with young listeners in the latest episode of Legacy with MRH, which was aired on Prothom Alo’s digital platforms last Saturday.

Hosted by Mohammad Ridwanul Haq, the episode traced Rubaba Dowla’s journey - from a young marketing graduate determined to build an independent career, to her leadership roles in Bangladesh’s telecom and tech industries, including her current position as country managing director of Oracle for Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

When asked about her early career aspirations, Rubaba Dowla recalled, “My father always told me I had to be independent. That idea stayed with me. I studied marketing, and when I finished, I knew I had to start my own career in a field where I could apply what I had learned. That’s how I began working in the telecom industry.”

Rubaba Dowla joined Grameenphone in 1998 — when mobile phones were still considered luxury items.

“At that time, hardly anyone in Bangladesh understood telecommunications. Mobile phones were mostly post-paid and very expensive,” she said. “None of us knew which way the industry would go. But I had the urge to be part of something new and transformative — that’s why I joined Grameenphone. Our main goal was to make communication accessible to everyone.”

Working in market research and development, she travelled across the country, from urban slums to rural fields, to understand customer perspectives.

“We wanted to connect people and ensure they had access to accurate information,” she explained. “For example, farmers often didn’t know the true market prices of their produce, and middlemen took advantage of that. We wanted to bridge that information gap.”

Asked where her enthusiasm for fieldwork came from, Rubaba Dowla said it was essential for understanding customers.

“You have to know what customers want; only then can you design the right product,” she said. “At the time, mobile services were all post-paid, costing Tk 4,000-5,000 a month — far beyond what low-income people could afford. Through market research, we realised this needed to change, and that’s how we introduced scratch cards allowing people to use telecom services within their means.”

When Rubaba Dowla started working at Grameenphone, there were few women in the corporate sector. Asked if she faced gender-related challenges, she replied, “I never had to face any challenges for being a woman. I consider myself very fortunate in this regard. I always focused on my work and never let other things distract me.”

After Grameenphone, she joined Robi and later Oracle. Asked how her telecom experience helped in her current role, Rubaba Dowla said, “My past experiences, and even my failures, have been invaluable. They shaped my understanding of business and leadership, and helped me reach where I am today.”

Commenting on the country’s current digital landscape, Rubaba Dowla said, “Bangladesh is undergoing a digital transformation, and the tech sector is expanding rapidly.”

When asked about artificial intelligence (AI), she responded, “AI is no longer a futuristic concept — it’s now part of everything. It’s not just a technology, it’s a mindset shift.”

According to her, “AI is transforming how we work, compete, and think. But the most important element behind AI is data, which is why data governance and management have become critically important.”

In closing, Rubaba Dowla offered three key lessons for young professionals, “First, you must learn to take big risks if you want to achieve big things. Second, keep learning continuously — no matter how many degrees you have, never stop learning about what’s happening around you. And finally, always hold on to your values and integrity — that’s what will truly carry you forward.”