Afifa Abbas is a young, ambitious, telecommunications professional working as a Cybersecurity and Compliance Lead Engineer at Banglalink. Having completed her bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronic engineering in 2013, Afifa scored an internship with one of Bangladesh’s largest telecom operators, Banglalink, and was offered a position six months after as a Network Associate Administrator.

She’s passionate about what she does and dreams of a long career in the profession, hopefully, one day becoming a ‘Security Diva’ (her words). “Staying focused and strong determination is the key. I like to challenge myself with ambitious targets,” she says. Such a career path is fairly routine for many people working in the ICT industry – do a degree, get a job, work your way up – but not so for a woman, particularly a woman in Bangladesh.

Questions & Answers with Afifa Abbas

What is your specific area of STEM?

My BSc and MSc was on Electrical and Telecommunication Engineering respectively. Currently, I am working in the area of cybersecurity, to protect our infrastructure from external cyber threats.

When did you first become interested in tech and was there a moment where you knew you were going to be a (computer programmer)?

When I was young people used to say, Engineering is not for girls. Right at that moment, I decided to challenge this status quo.

The journey was not easy. However, I always wanted to have that "Engineer" tag before my name and that urge kept pushing me forward.

How would you explain your STEM field to young girls?

Cybersecurity is an interesting area where we need more girls because of their outstanding analytical capability. I encourage all young ladies to explore this field and get in because we really need you. This industry is like an ocean and we have a talent shortage. With the rising number of cyber attacks, we need people to combat this crisis.

What traits might a child possess that may indicate an interest or aptitude for your STEM field?

In Cybersecurity, it's easy to get frustrated and there is no instant pat on the back. We don't get to celebrate our success and that's the demand of our role. If anyone wants to excel in this industry, they need to have a passion for this. Also, its important to love what you do and success will follow.

Why did you choose your STEM field? Were you inspired by someone?

To be very honest, cybersecurity chose me, I just followed my nose. I am so proud that I ended up working for this industry. All the women in cybersecurity inspire me the most. Likewise, I want to be an inspiration for young girls.

What is the biggest challenge you face as a woman in STEM?

In the STEM world, every day is a challenge. The types of work I deal with are not fixed. We have to be 24x7 ready for any cyber attack and mitigate with minimum impact. Sometimes I face challenges to establish my views in front of people but I always choose to speak louder with my actions.

Do you still see sexism and discrimination in the workplace?

To be very honest we are to some extent responsible for whatever sexism and discrimination exist in the workplace. If women can equally work hard and take ownership of their responsibilities at workplace, I believe there will be a positive shift and the good news is we are getting there.

What is Afifa's life like in 2025?

In 2025 I would like to see myself in a position where I can inspire more young girls and they will not hesitate to join cybersecurity

What inspirational message would you give young girls to inspire them to pursue STEM?

You have the power to excel, use it. Join our STEM team, we are waiting to have you ;)