Flashback 2025: Year of Transition

I start every year with a set of resolutions that I try to pursue over time. I know very well that not all of them will be achieved, but the process itself gives direction to my life and my plans. At the end of each year, I look back at those resolutions and assess how many, or how much, I managed to accomplish. This reflection helps me understand what worked, what did not, and the factors behind both my successes and failures.

I began 2025 with plans focused on personal finance, personal growth, social welfare, and maintaining a stable work life balance. I also intended to continue my hobbies. The year started on a strong note, and I tried my best to stay consistent. However, as the year progressed, my priorities gradually shifted toward spending more time with my family. I do not blame my family for the resolutions I could not achieve. This was a conscious choice that I made, and I am at peace with it.

Now, let me review my 2025 resolutions and how they turned out.

01. Read at least a new Book every month.
The goal was to read at least one book each month, meaning twelve books over the year. Unfortunately, I managed to complete only seven. This year, my preferred writer was Ahmed Sofa. I started with one of his books, enjoyed it deeply, and ended up reading three more. I also bought several books that I plan to finish in 2026.

02. Rebuild writing habit.
I must admit that I failed badly in this area. In fact, this was nothing short of a disaster. I had plans to write regularly, but I lacked both patience and time. Only five posts were published on this site during the year, and a couple of drafts remain unfinished. Another challenge was that once I started writing, the content often became too long and boring for readers, which discouraged me further. To address this, I have decided to focus on short, professional blogs that I will publish both here and on LinkedIn.

03. Doing Something new and meaningful.
While reflecting on what new things I did in 2025, I realized that I started playing golf and began formal training. This began when several fellow Chartered Accountants started taking memberships at different golf clubs. I initially ignored most offers, but later learned about Air Force Golf Link within Dhaka Cantonment. I took membership there and started training at Army Golf Club. I now have my own golf set and hope to play regularly going forward.

04. Maintain good connection with relatives, social and professional network.
This was one of my major focus areas. I spent a significant portion of my free time on social and professional engagements outside my assurance practice. I stayed connected with close relatives and family friends as well.

When 2025 began, I was halfway through my presidency at Rotary Club of Dhaka Luminous. From January to June, my focus was on meeting both my personal goals and the club’s objectives for the 2024 to 2025 year. During this period, we carried out nearly twenty service projects. These included scholarships for sixty students from three schools, furniture distribution to two schools, rebuilding school houses, flood relief activities, planting over one thousand palm seeds, two phases of eye camps, and many more initiatives. These were meaningful and impactful projects, and I am proud to have led such a dynamic club that has been serving the community consistently for nearly ten years.

On the professional side, I became actively involved with ICAB, ICMAB, and CIMA, contributing to the development of the accounting and auditing profession and future professionals. I attended multiple committee meetings at ICAB and ICMAB, participated in member networking events at CIMA, and joined various programs organized by North South University and its Accounting Club. At their invitation, I moderated a panel discussion featuring leaders from other Big Four firms, business leaders, senior professionals, and academics.

05. Learning a programming language.
I planned to start learning after June 2025 once my Rotary presidency ended and I had more time. Unfortunately, that never happened. I am carrying this resolution forward to another year. On a positive note, I slightly improved my video editing skills. Who knows, maybe I will become a part time YouTuber someday, though not seriously.

06. Aim for CISA or Start for EY Tech MBA under Hult International Business School, USA.
This goal also remained unfulfilled and will have to be deferred. However, from a learning perspective, I completed more than 120 hours of web based professional training, including fifteen hours dedicated to sustainability and sustainability reporting standards.

07. Have vacation and travel to new locations.
Vacations often feel like a myth to me. It is not that I never get time, but I cannot predict events. Several planned trips were canceled at the last moment due to important meetings that I could not miss. This year, I also chose to travel less because of my baby daughter. Even so, I had a short trip to Sylhet in January to attend a Rotary award ceremony and enjoyed a wonderful family retreat at Chuti Resort in Gazipur. I also traveled to my regular destinations such as Chandpur, Comilla, and Chittagong. Unfortunately, there was no international travel this year.

08. Make some investments.
I managed to make some investments, and more importantly, I restructured my earlier scattered investments into a more manageable position. I am now focusing on low risk, Shariah based investments, although suitable options are quite limited.

09. Organize an Eye Camp at my Village.
Through my Rotary Club, I organized an eye camp at the Old Rehabilitation Center in Gazipur with the support of Prime Bank Eye Hospital. Unfortunately, I could not arrange one at my village, mainly due to the unavailability of resource persons when I was free. I still plan to organize one there in the near future.

10. Improve on work-life balance and focus on healthy lifestyle.
This was my highest priority for the year. I consciously tried to maintain a healthier work life balance, not just for myself but for my family as well. As a new father, I spent almost all my free time with my daughter. Whenever I am home, she demands my time, and I gladly give her two to three hours each day. As she grows, her need for attention grows too, and I try my best to be present. Except during critical work deadlines, I avoided late night work. I also tried to eat healthier and avoid rich food. At one point, I lost nearly ten kilograms, although some year end pressure and late nights caused me to regain a bit. Ironically, I finished the year with a net surplus.

In summary, I would describe 2025 as a ‘year of transition’. I began the year with certain resolutions, but over time my priorities shifted toward becoming a more present family man. From being a serious professional, I transitioned into a serious dad. I do not regret this change at all. Instead, I feel proud to have spent the year with my family, friends, and relatives, creating meaningful, joyful, and lasting memories.