Shabash Fakibaj SOP Samples – October 2019

SOP SAMPLE 1 Wasiq Ameen

Applicant for M.S Program in Real Estate and Construction Management

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

The collapse of the commercial building Rana Plaza in Savar, Bangladesh in 2013 has been
regarded as the deadliest accidental structural failure in modern human history. As an
undergraduate student at the premier engineering institution of the country, it made me realize
the appalling level of inadequate construction management in Bangladesh. I became
determined to affect change in applied sectors of design and construction in a country that
desperately needs construction reform. While designing infrastructures, I created methods to
integrate our national building code into software. In my current position, I have worked with
internationally acclaimed engineers on site to implement efficient construction. In the pursuit
of my master’s degree, I wish to advance construction management by researching modern
methods to ensure site efficiency. I wish to investigate specialized technologies and strategies
for use in construction situations. I believe that the vast resources at KTH Royal Institute of
Technology will complement my academic training, my research experience, and my
leadership in pursuing community service projects in my journey to become an expert in
construction management.

My fascination in civil infrastructure began at a very early age thanks to my father. As the son
of an architect, ruminating over building designs and tinkering with models is something my
father and I have always shared. My desire to study infrastructures, associated with hard work
and discipline, enabled me to earn my Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). I exhibited strong
performance in core civil engineering courses like design of concrete structures and details of
construction. The classes on project planning and construction management inspired me
towards the latest on site operations. I was actively associated with clubs like Science club and
Civil Engineering club, earning special distinctions for presentation skills and mass
communication.

My quest for developing structural safety through modern technology drove me to choose my
undergraduate research topic “Finite element analysis of fire – protection layers on rectangular
hollow section.” Using ANSYS, I studied the effects of various protection layers on steel
hollow sections in route to understand the effects of fire on structures like oil and gas rigs.

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Shabash Fakibaj SOP Samples – October 2019

Under the supervision of Dr. Bashir Ahmed, a former research associate to Dr. David A.
Nethercot, I had the privilege of conducting my study along the path of my academic
predecessors. During the finite element modeling process, I simulated the current fire
protection materials like intumescent paint, vermiculite, and refractory ceramic fiber (RCF) on
to steel hollow sections and studied their effects in a fire disaster scenario. At 1000°C, I found
RCF as the best insulator, protecting the structure longer than the other materials. Integration
of intumescent binders extend the time of structural integrity to more than 60 minutes. My
work contributed to the understanding of how fire protection materials impact infrastructures
and opened up a scope of non-destructive simulations for fire safety standards for the gas fields
of Bangladesh.

As soon as I graduated, I looked to devote myself to upholding proper Civil Engineering in my

country. I worked as a Structural Engineer in MARC Architects and Engineers Ltd., with
Abdullah Al Mamun (P.Eng). I obtained associate membership in Institute of Engineers
Bangladesh (IEB) and produced designs approved by the legal authorities. One of my greatest
accomplishments to date is the complete design of a 9-storied building in the capital of my
country. During my involvement in the project, I noticed that engineers consistently had to
over-design structures to account for inadequacies in construction management. I took it upon
myself to meet with suppliers, set schedules for site managers, and ensure labor efficiency for
coordination between design and on-site management.

My role at MARC Architects and Engineers Ltd. also gave me the opportunity to direct
management plans for the construction of an expansive multistoried complex of the Bangladesh
Army. The project is 4.6 hectares in area, where I had to consider crucial details such as cost
for cement and aggregates, amount and delivery time of reinforcements, plumbing and
electrical facilities, the amount of labor hours required for the completion of the project, and
others. Due to the vastness of the project, even minuscule over assumptions led to a huge
variation of cost and time for completion. The responsibility of cost estimation put me on the
forefront of construction management, and I was able to uphold the national building codes,
maximize profitability and minimize workforce duration by applying my knowledge as a civil
engineer as well as using computer simulations for accurate construction management.

With determination of creating risk-free industrial sector through on site regulations, I

undertook the opportunity of working as a Site Engineer in the construction site of a garments

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 Shabash Fakibaj SOP Samples – October 2019

factory of Norp Knit Industries in Gazipur, Bangladesh. Under the guidance of I. A. Khan (OBE,
FICE), I had the unique privilege of learning from a master in the sector of construction
management. I ensured exact application of design on site, made sudden visits to verify optimum
temperature and consistency of ready-mix concrete, performed Schmidt Hammer Test on the
cured reinforced concrete, and stringently enforced installment of fire doors and emergency
escapes. I expressed each and every finding through reports, which was evaluated to certify the
project was perfectly constructed under Bangladesh National Building Codes (BNBC) by Accord
on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, a milestone achievement in civil engineering sector of
our country where the majority of industrial infrastructures routinely disobey such codes.

Along with my academic and professional experiences, I am also involved with fish farming. I
have been raising a stock of 3000 fish in my pond at my village home. I undertook pond
development stages, and routinely log the size and weight of the fishes. I have also been a teacher
of chemistry department for a facility providing educational programs to students. I was in charge
of pupils of grade 9, 10, 11 and 12, and I prepared them for entrance to top tiered high schools and
universities. These unique opportunities enable me to embrace the true meaning of responsibility,
and gives me motivation to pursue my master’s degree with the hopes to help improve the lives of
people in my immediate community and beyond.

I have been raised by the best engineering facilities of my country. My academic career has
imbued me with the top tier knowledge of Civil Engineering. My professional experience has made
me face the challenges and complexities of Construction Management in Bangladesh, a developing
country where buildings are constructed without proper supervision. My vision is to employ latest
science and technologies to the field of construction engineering, in order to ensure safe,
economic and perfectly environment friendly engineering sites. Under the guidance of the
premier faculty at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, I will aspire to reach my goals of
becoming an expert in the field of construction management.

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