“Envision, create, and believe in your own universe, and the universe will form around you.”
Introduction
In the vast and constantly changing maritime business, where accuracy, safety, and experience are the things which set apart smooth operations from costly delays, only a few people reflect the principles of honesty, knowledge, and dedication like Dr. Ruhan. Dr. Ruhan is a marine surveyor, nautical inspector, and industry leader with a lot of expertise and skill. He has a great reputation in Asia, the Middle East, and around the world. His career shows that he not only knows a lot about marine boats and systems, but he also has a strong commitment to making sure that maritime assets are safe, seaworthy, and in compliance in one of the most complicated and changing industries in the world. Dr. Ruhan is founder and the Chief Executive Officer of Fauzan Maritime and Offshore Consultancy, a company that does business between Qatar and Bangladesh. He is at the forefront of maritime consultancy and survey services. He helps with hull and cargo claims, provides technical support for P&I (Protection and Indemnity) surveys, and provides loss prevention advice to a wide range of clients in the GCC region and beyond. In this role, he is not only a consultant but also a valued partner for shipowners, insurers, operators, and regulatory authorities. He makes sure that marine operations match the international standards while also being as safe and efficient as possible.
Dr. Ruhan’s career, on the other hand, didn’t start at the top. His career demonstrates how dedicated, resilient, and intelligent learner he is. He started out as an assistant engineer in Bangladesh and worked his way up to become a world-renowned expert in marine surveying and inspections. Over the years, he has worked in many different roles, for many different companies, and in many different places, such as Qatar, India, Singapore, Liberia, the Marshall Islands, and Saint Kitts & Nevis. Each job provided him more knowledge and skills, making him better at judging ships, looking into damage, doing inspections, and coming up with solutions to some of the industry’s biggest problems.
Early Steps in Marine Engineering
Dr. Ruhan’s career began in Bangladesh, where he grew up. Bangladesh is a country with a long history of shipbuilding and maritime trade. From the start, he showed a natural talent for technical systems and a deep interest in how ships and offshore equipment work and how to keep them safe. His education, along with his dedication to professional growth, equipped him for a job that would connect the practical and the regulatory, the technical and the managerial.
His first job was as an assistant manager at Prantik Marine Services Ltd. in Chattogram in 2018. This was the start of his career. He learned how to do salvage work, monitor underwater hulls, inspect pipelines, and supervise diving teams. This part of his career gave him a strong foundation for his thorough understanding of a ship’s structural integrity and operational issues. His job required more than just technical expertise; he also had to be a leader by guiding teams and making sure that operations were safe and efficient.
His job as Assistant Engineer at Rupayan Dredging Ltd. (2018–2019) soon after that added to his technical and administrative skills. He worked on project engineering, site logistics, budget management, subcontractor coordination, and quality control, which are all very important parts of big maritime projects. During this time, he learned how to look at marine projects not just from an engineering point of view, but also from a project management and organizational point of view. These abilities would later be very useful in his positions as a consultant and leader.
“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”
Phase 1: Roots of Resilience : Exploring Dr. Ruhan’s Childhood Journey
People often describe childhood as a fertile ground where a person first plants their ideals, dreams, and strength. Dr. Ruhan early years were a mix of movement, study, hard work, and new experiences. Born into a military family in Bangladesh, raised across borders, and formed by both happiness and hardship, his early life set the stage for the man he would become: a leader, a marine surveyor, and a professional known for accuracy and honesty. This is the story of a youngster who started school in Nepal, had trouble with Bengali, rode his first bike with pride, and went through terrible times with his family. He grew up to be a man of outstanding courage and character. He started out in a military family and spent his childhood traveling.
Dr. Ruhan was born in the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Bangladesh, which is a place where the families of army officials can go for medical care. His father was a dedicated member of the Bangladesh Army. He was not only a source of discipline for Dr. Ruhan, but he also made sure that Dr. Ruhan travelled a lot as a child. For the young child, home was not a set spot but a changing environment that moved with his father’s duties. Dr. Ruhan lived with his grandparents and mother for most of his early life because of these things. These early years taught him to value family and tradition, even though his life soon took him outside of Bangladesh. A new chapter started in Dr. Ruhan’s life when his father was sent to Nepal around the year 2000. This transfer had a big impact on Dr. Ruhan’s childhood because it put him in a new culture, school, and neighborhood at a very young age.
It was both thrilling and scary to come to Nepal as a kid. Dr. Ruhan vividly remembers the first day of school. In Nepal, kids had to take an entrance exam to get into the right grade, such as nursery, Play A, or Play B. Dr. Ruhan’s mother had only taught him the essentials at home; thus, the test paper looked too hard for him. “I cried a lot,” he says, remembering how anxious he felt when he had to answer things he didn’t expect. But he did well enough to be placed in Play A instead of nursery. Even though it was scary, this moment marked the start of his strength.
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
Phase 2 : Forging Ahead : A Journey Toward the Higher Education
Every student has to make a choice at some point that will shape their future. Dr. Ruhan made that choice when he graduated from college. Many people in his family thought he would become a doctor because he was a smart student and medicine is a highly regarded field in Bangladesh. But Dr. Ruhan had other plans.
He remembers the talk quite well: “Father, doctor is not for me.” I want to be an engineer.
His father, a wise and strong guy, didn’t think twice. “Go after this if it’s your dream.” He said, “I will stand by you.” That moment of trust and support was the start of Dr. Ruhan’s journey into engineering.
Getting into college in Bangladesh isn’t as simple as it seems. Students have to take entrance tests at each university, which means they have to go from city to city with not only forms and papers but also hope and fear.
Dr. Ruhan took a lot of tests, and although he could have gone to a number of universities, he really wanted to go to Dhaka, the capital city. For him, Dhaka was more than just a place to get an education. It was a place where he could reach his goals, learn new things, and fulfill his desire of leaving his rural roots behind.
Dr. Ruhan felt quite happy when the results were announced and he got his spot. His fantasy was coming true.
Dr. Ruhan picked something different from the several areas of engineering: Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NAME).
“You can always find a solution if you try hard enough.”
Phase 3 : The Journey of Dr. Hasan Ruhan Rabbi: From Village Shores to Global Seas
Dr. Ruhan finished his degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and then entered a new battlefield: the job market. He had both hope and doubt, like many new grads. But he had something else that most people didn’t: an unbreakable will.
He thought that you don’t get opportunities by waiting; you had to knock on doors to get them. “I graduated, now I need a job,” he told himself, “So, I should knock on the doors of businesses.”
He didn’t wait for ads to come out; instead, he made his own list of shipyards and maritime companies in Bangladesh. Then, he sent his résumé to more than 100 organizations by email, which took a lot of effort. It wasn’t normal. His pals chuckled and said, “Jobs don’t come like this.” You can only apply when there is an open position.
But Dr. Ruhan didn’t let others tell him not to do it. “Sending an email doesn’t cost me anything,” he said. “That’s progress if even one company replies,” he added. And it did pay off for him to keep going. Despite everything, he got two to three calls for interviews.
A Funeral and an Interview: Life’s Test
Life often gives us times when happiness and sadness clash. One day, Dr. Ruhan got an invitation to an interview at a well-known corporation in Dhaka. But on that same day, something terrible happened: his grandfather died.
Dr. Ruhan told the company about his terrible choice. He wanted them to understand, but they only said, “No. We will cancel the interview if you don’t show up.”
Dr. Ruhan selected family without thinking twice. “We can do the interviews later,” he told himself, “my grandfather’s funeral can’t take place again.” That choice showed what he believed all his life: jobs are important, but values are much more important.
Note of Thanks
As this biography comes to an end, we want to thank everyone who has been a part of Dr. Ruhan’s amazing journey. He has never travelled alone, and many people have helped him along the way, making his life and profession better.
First, we praise his parents for their sacrifices, wisdom, and principles, which helped shape who he is. His father’s strength and his mother’s constant love have been there for him through every storm. We are still thankful to his sister, family, and friends for always being there for him and supporting him over the years.
We also want to thank the teachers, mentors, and coworkers that helped him develop his skills, pushed him to do better, and gave him responsibilities that helped him grow as a professional. Their help and advice made it feasible to inspect every vessel, finish every project, and publish every piece of research.
We want to thank his friends, classmates, and students for being there for him and providing knowledge, friendship, and inspiration.
His wife deserves a special thank you for always being there for him, encouraging him, and sharing his vision. These things have been key to his success. They have developed a meaningful life together and started an NGO, Sadeque Lutful Charity (SLC) in the name of his father and father-in-law. Through his NGO, Dr. Ruhan helps others and gives hope and comfort to those in need.
Finally, we want to thank the larger maritime community—the captains, engineers, surveyors, and groups—that continue to inspire us and keep us all responsible for making the seas safer, greener, and more sustainable.
We want to thank everyone who has had a tiny or big impact on Dr. Ruhan’s life. This trip isn’t just his; it’s also the adventure of everyone who has been with him along the way.
Thanks,
– Dr. Hasan Ruhan Rabbi