Tanjil Ruhullah

I am currently working as a Director in the Marine Claims Department of Interport Maritime which provides Marine Risk management, Survey and Consultancy Services to ship owners and Charterers in all Bangladeshi Ports. I am also currently serving as the Joint Secretary of CILT Bangladesh Council!

When and why did you decided to become a member of CILT?

I became an Affiliate Member of CILT in 2010 right after my graduation from University when I got my first job in a maritime and logistics services company.

Incidentally I was aware of CILT and its membership benefits, as our Company’s CEO was the Secretary General of CILT Bangladesh back then and he was very passionate about promoting the cause of CILT both internal and to external organizations.

I decided to become a member because I felt that being new to the maritime, transport and logistics sector, I needed a platform with which I can fast-track my career by connecting with professionals with shared interests and also to keep myself abreast on latest developments and best practices within our sector by attending the various seminars and conferences organised by both CILT Bangladesh and CILT International.

What are the benefits of being a member of CILT?

The benefits of being a member of CILT are many. However I would like to mention three benefits in particular which appealed to me as a Young Professional of the institute.

Firstly, the opportunity to meet and network with senior professionals of the institute who are in successful stages of their career, and the opportunity to learn from, draw inspiration from and get career guidance from them which is critical for any young professional determined to accelerate their professional development.

Secondly, the opportunity to participate in various professional training and education programmes offered by CILT, which are available both internationally and locally.

These courses are developed by professionals for the professionals and are vital for any young professional seeking to enhance their knowledge and know-how in the supply chain, logistics and transport sector and also for gaining global recognition and credibility.

I have myself taken the CILT International Diploma in Logistics and Transport and personally found the course to be very engaging not only because of the rich course contents but because of the quality of the delivery of the course instructors who are senior practitioners and acclaimed trainers in the industry.  Furthermore, the field visits and presentation by guest speakers during the programme made the course even more engaging and worthwhile for me.

Finally, both CILT Members and CILT International Students have complimentary access to use our Knowledge Centre which contains one of the largest specialist collections and most comprehensive sources of logistics, supply chain and transport information in the world.

Being a Chartered Member of CILT gave me the necessary global exposure required in my profession

What difference has being a member of CILT made to your career?

CILT is a truly global organisation with over 35000 members in over 100 countries worldwide. Being a member of CILT made many positive differences in my career.

Although I joined the institute as an Affiliate Member, the structured pathway of CILT leading to Chartered Membership gave me the necessary drive and focus to constantly upgrade my knowledge and experience in the sector. I was awarded the MILT, Member grade in 2014 and recently CMILT, the Chartered Member grade.

Being a Chartered Member of CILT gave me the necessary global exposure required in my profession in the maritime industry where I represent ship owners and Charterers who come to Bangladesh from different corners of the globe from Europe to Asia to America. It also gave me the necessary confidence, and credibility in my workplace as the grades of CILT are recognised globally as a mark of mark of professional status and achievement.

Another unique aspect of CILT is that we are the only professional body represented by professionals from across all the various diverse modes and sectors in logistics and transport from Ports and Maritime, Roads to Railway, Aviation, Freight Forwarding and Operations Management. Therefore the association with diverse pool of professionals in our institute locally gave me the necessary support in solving problems of complex nature which I would otherwise be unable to solve on my own. This definitely gave me an edge in my career as I had been able to help my global clients better by taking advantage of the greater network of professionals locally.

What do you think the future holds for you and CILT?

I strongly believe that the culture of any organisation dictates its future. I have had the great privilege of attending the CILT International Convention in 2017 which was held in Macao and where around 500 members from more than 30 member countries of CILT were present. I was amazed to see the culture of fellowship and support among the members which is really conducive to learning, development and personal growth of the members. No wonder we call ourselves a global family!

Another thing which amazed me during the CILT convention was its culture of ‘embracing change’. The technological revolution has been around for many years’ and CILT is at the forefront of these latest developments and constantly emphasizes on the need to and create awareness among members about the importance of adapting to these new technologies which can better benefit our members in the profession.

Last but not the least, I believe that CILT’s focus on the next generation of young professionals, in terms of nurturing them through mentorship opportunities, through the professional development programmes and also empowering them to take on roles of leadership in national level will create a significant competitive advantage for the institute and take it forward.

What message would you give to someone just starting out in CILT?

To anyone starting out in CILT, my message would be to try to take full advantage of the benefits of networking as coined by Keith Ferrazzi in his bestseller book “Never eat alone” in which he defines networking as sharing your knowledge and resources, time and energy, friends and associates, compassion and empathy, in an continual effort, to provide value to others while coincidentally increasing your own.

Speaking from my own experience, during my past 9 years with CILT, I had benefited the most when I had got myself involved various activities such as volunteering to organise various programs for the institute such as technical visits and training sessions for the young professionals, participating in road shows for membership drive. This not only helped me in terms of broadening my network and increased recognition but also helped me in honing my interpersonal and soft skills which is key for any young professional or indeed any professional willing to progress faster in the 21st century.