From a Tk 2,000 order: a Rajshahi fishing-bait factory with 14 types of bait, exporting as far as Europe

A young man from Rajshahi has fished since he was four. He did a master's in information technology in New Zealand and began his career there, but returned in 2017 to look after his elderly parents. At home he saw that unplanned fishing, ant eggs used as bait and harmful chemicals were damaging nature. He found that the elements in ant eggs that attract fish exist in other natural materials too, and began making eco-friendly baits, showing his methods on a YouTube channel. In 2018 an amateur angler sent him Tk 2,000 and asked him to make baits, which was the beginning of the business. As demand grew he turned the hobby into a full-time business. In 2019 he received official government approval as the country's first fishing-bait manufacturer and started exporting with 100 kg of baits. Today his factory on his home premises in the Thakurmara area makes at least 14 types of bait. They are sold across Bangladesh and exported to India, Pakistan, Nepal, Malaysia and Europe, especially the UK. According to the report, this year's shipments may reach several tonnes. The factory has grown from a small shack into a modern unit, and he is now taking steps to open his own outlets in India and New Zealand.