Two pairs of pigeons kept for pleasure, now 700 birds and 70,000-80,000 a month

After his father died, this young man in Barlekha, Moulvibazar, opened a stationery shop in one room of the family's shop building in 2012 with 5,000 taka of capital, while he was still in class nine. In 2014 he bought two pairs of pigeons as a hobby, against the wishes of the joint family and the teasing of friends. The pigeons laid, the numbers grew, and he began collecting better breeds from Sylhet, Beanibazar and Dhaka, then added pet birds; when people started coming to look at them and asking to buy, he turned it into a business. The roof farm now holds about 700 pigeons of 20 breeds, worth 8 to 9 lakh taka at current market prices, with a pair selling from 1,500 taka up to 30,000 depending on breed, alongside eight species of pet birds including budgerigar, cockatiel and Australian dove. He took no training, learned the birds' temperament and care by keeping them, and mixes his own feed from wheat, maize, mung, sunflower, paddy, peanut and gram. Out of this income he paid for his own degree, supports the family and opened a second shop selling bird feed and medicine; the birds and the two shops together bring 70,000 to 80,000 taka a month, though the income was higher before COVID.