Success and failure stories

The kindergarten shut and the salary with it; now two students at home

When the kindergarten in Manikganj town closed, this teacher's salary stopped entirely. He now scrapes by tutoring two students at his own house.

Twelve days offline, five clients gone, and the whole income base with them

Three regular clients brought in 1,000-1,500 US dollars a month. In the 12-day internet shutdown of July 2024 he lost five clients, and three new enquiries went unanswered.

Two contracts cancelled in the shutdown, and six months of standing gone

A Fiverr Top Rated Seller could not answer more than 20 client messages during the shutdown; two contracts were cancelled, the account was downgraded for six months, and he put the damage at 400,000 taka.

More than 5 lakh taka lost in the days Facebook was down

Two women run a fashion page that sells entirely through Facebook. During the July 2024 shutdown they could take no orders at all, and put their losses at more than 5 lakh taka.

A thousand taka a day and a parlour, and the shutdown stopped both at once

Selling through Facebook brought about 1,000 taka a day, alongside a small beauty parlour. The shutdown stopped the Facebook income, and no parlour customers came in the same period.

Facebook down, and ten days later a single order for 20 pithas

Customers find her home-made pitha through Facebook. No orders came at all during the shutdown; ten days in, she got one order, for 20 pithas.

Five days without internet, and not one order

She sells her own designs through a Facebook page. During the five-day internet shutdown of July 2024 no orders came at all, and the page's reach was broken.

From 16 lakh a month to 4, with the same page and the same audience

Started on an 18,500-taka phone bought by selling a cow, the page reached about 3 million followers. Platform income was 16 lakh taka in January 2025 and 4.14 lakh by March.

Capital

৳18.5k

Started in 2023

20,000 taka of capital, 30,000 taka of training

She started on 20,000 taka borrowed from her brother, while a three-month course alone cost 30,000. Planned in 2006, registered and expanded in 2009.

Capital

৳20k

Started in 2006

From 600-700 a day down to 200-250, with 3,000 taka of rent

Key cutting once brought 600-700 taka a day; now it brings 200-250, against 3,000 taka of rent.

From 25 paisa a job to 10 taka: forty years that put a son through a master's

A job once paid 25 paisa to 2 taka; forty years on, his minimum is 10 taka. On that he put his son through a master's and educated and married off his daughters.

Haircut and beard for 30 taka: a roadside barber takes 250-300 a day

What costs at least 60 taka in a salon costs 30 at the roadside: 20 for a haircut, 10 for a beard. The day brings 250-300 taka, and six people live on it.