I run Positronic Dream, a sole proprietorship focused on translation services, and online business consulting.
More About the Name
Positronic Dream might sound like a high-tech company dealing with positrons (subatomic particles), but it’s not! And the “AI” in the name stands for Ashiqul Islam, not Artificial Intelligence.
As a huge sci-fi fan, especially Star Trek: The Next Generation, I loved Data (and Q), the android with a positronic brain. He yearned to feel emotions and dream like a human, a dream he could never fully grasp. That’s the essence of Positronic Dream: a dream I might not achieve entirely, but one I refuse to give up on.
From Physics to Poetry
Funny thing is, in high school, I dreamt of being a physicist like Newton or Einstein. But realizing all the fundamental laws were already discovered, and I perhaps lacked the brilliance for complex theories, I shifted gears.
English music became my muse. I memorized over 2,000 songs, from Bruce Springsteen to Nirvana. In university, inspired by poets like Edwin Arlington Robinson and Rabindranath Tagore, I wrote for three years, publishing a poetry collection titled “Atmakhaki.” My late grandfather, the artist Abdur Razzaque (you can find him on Wikipedia!), even drew the cover. While the book never sold a copy, it felt like a personal accomplishment.
The Power of Failure
Nietzsche’s quote, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” rings true. My dream of winning three Pulitzers like Robinson faded, and I moved on from poetry. After graduation, I landed a teaching job with my friend Monirul’s help. While writing a novel during this time (never published, admittedly a bit rough!), I discovered a talent for translation.
My translation skills shone in a SIDA project, where I was praised as the best among translators, even those with M.A. in English Literature. However, friends and family pushed for a stable job. I secured a System Analyst position at DTCB, a promising opportunity. But the lack of freedom at a regular job gnawed at me. I skipped work often, leading to my resignation—a big mistake in hindsight. Still, every misstep teaches a lesson. You sacrifice freedom to build financial security, which can buy you the freedom to pursue your passions later. I was simply too impatient!
Going Solo
Knowing I needed independence, I turned to translation full-time. Work was scarce, so I built bdtips.com, the first Bangladeshi online earning platform. Approved for Google Adsense, I raked in $30 a day in 2008—easy money back then! But neglecting the terms of service led to my Adsense account being suspended in 2009. Jobless and with no translation projects on hand, I even made silly horror videos (you’d be horrified watching them!).
Signs of Progress
Fueled by the motto “Your problem is never really your problem, your reaction to your problem is your problem,” I decided to buy a car within a year, even though I was unemployed. In Bangladesh, owning and maintaining a car was a significant achievement back then!
By 2011, I had purchased my first car and hired a driver. Officially, I’d entered the upper-middle class. Translation work flourished during this period. I translated for AED, which led to an opportunity at BRAC University. Additionally, I worked for London School of Economics, FORB Learning Organization and platforms like oDesk (now Upwork), OneHourTranslation.com, and TranslatorsWithoutBorders.com.
Multifaceted and Free
I see myself as a multi-skilled, versatile individual. Confined environments stifle me. I thrive on independence and creating something on my own. That’s why Positronic Dream embodies my spirit.
Currently, I’m juggling several projects: writing a detective story inspired by a foreign drama, translating my poems for an e-book, ongoing translation work for various organizations, maintaining my websites with regular article contributions, and most excitingly, venturing into deep learning programming. There’s more to come!
Family and Fun
Life is beautiful, and I cherish spending time with my son, Lionel, my own personal “Megamind” (he’s my favorite superhero!). I used to playfully call myself his Minion (the fish), but Rony, my buddy, threw some shade my way, saying that if I kept playing sidekick to my own son, he’ll be ditching me for a cooler role model soon enough! So, I’ve upgraded to the “despicable” Gru ;). Lionel remains my superhero, Megamind, even if I keep it to myself now.
Movies hold a special place in my heart. My favorites include “Waking Life” (especially the Alex Jones rant!), “Fight Club,” “Life is Beautiful,” “Children of Heaven,” “Predator” (1987), and “Aha!”—with a long list to follow.
We’ve been fortunate to visit seven countries multiple times. This ignited a travel bug in me, and I have many more destinations on my future itinerary.
Finding Joy in the Simple
There’s something truly wonderful about waking up to a cup of honey lemon tea with the surreal sitar fusion of Ananda Shankar’s “The River” or “Cyrus” playing in the background. Life is good, life is beautiful.
I’m a positive person who never stops trying. I never give up on myself or my dreams. At 41, I might be older, but my heart remains young.
So, that’s a bit about me. Now, tell me about yourself!