Real experiences, published anonymously and with permission.
A teacher at a coaching centre in Mohammadpur, Dhaka
Home & local servicesDhaka
A coaching teacher from Mohammadpur, Dhaka, was stranded in the UK in March 2020 when flights stopped and began live classes on Zoom from April. Where his centre had 30-40 students, 70-80 join online and fees arrive on time.
Solaric, a solar home system company founded by an engineer and former BUET teacher
Home & local services
A former BUET teacher and engineer returned from the US and in 2011 formally started Solaric, making solar home systems for off-grid rural homes. BRAC was the first big buyer and IFC the first investor with $1 million; the firm went on to supply more than 150,000 systems in Bangladesh.
Owner of a private ambulance service in Dhaka
Home & local servicesDhaka
A Dhaka ambulance operator whose earlier partnership failed started his own service with one vehicle in 1989; his fleet now has 15 ambulances including one ICU unit. But the sector is still not recognised as a business, and bank loans and trade licences are hard to get.
Securex, a company that claims to be Bangladesh's first security service firm
Home & local services
Securex, which claims to be Bangladesh's first security company, started in 1988 with just two guards when many laughed at the idea. Now about 6,000 strong, it launched electronic guarding in 2019, which cut one client's guard numbers by a third.
A homemaker entrepreneur in Rangpur city who makes hand-stitched clothes at home
Home & local servicesRangpur
A homemaker in Rangpur city learned needlework from YouTube, made a panjabi for her husband and started selling through a Facebook page. After losing money to a cheating overseas buyer she restarted, and now gives work to more than 50 women.
Founder of Naspro Auto Detailing, a car wash in Gulshan, Dhaka
Home & local servicesDhaka
Naspro began in mid-2020 disinfecting cars in the Unimart Gulshan 2 car park and moved into car washing and detailing as that demand faded. With 15 staff it now serves nearly 600 clients a month, but space limits it to four cars at a time.
A young man from Nawabganj, owner of the Maa Electric shop, in a Business Standard report
Retail & wholesale
After graduating, a young man opened a shop called Maa Electric in 2014 on a friend's advice, buying Chinese goods from importers to resell. In 2015 he got his own import licence and in 2017 imported three machines to start manufacturing; his factory now makes about 800 kinds of products.
The fourth-generation owner of Mehboob Optics, Patuatuli and Green Road, Dhaka
Retail & wholesaleDhaka
Mehboob Optics, started in Patuatuli, Old Dhaka in 1948, has kept customers for decades through fair prices and honesty, opening a Green Road branch in 1977. By strengthening online sales in the pandemic it delivered 30-40 orders a day even in lockdown.
The owner of Pet Zone BD, which sells pet food online and in a store, in a Daily Star report
Retail & wholesale
Pet Zone BD, which sells pet food and accessories online and from a physical store, saw monthly sales rise from Tk 10 lakh in 2019 to Tk 20-30 lakh in 2023. The reason was the jump in demand for pet food, accessories and medicine after the Covid lockdown.
A toy shop owner in Friendship Market, Chawkbazar, Old Dhaka
Retail & wholesaleDhaka
A toy seller in Chawkbazar's Friendship Market, Old Dhaka, used to make half a year's sales at one Boishakhi fair, and feared big losses when Covid cancelled it. Demand from home-bound children filled that gap, and local manufacturing has also brought toy prices down.
Founder of an online truck-booking platform who previously ran an FMCG business, as reported by Future Startup
Digital & B2B servicesDhaka
An FMCG businessman saw truck owners charge for both legs because they feared an empty return. In 2017 he launched an online platform matching truck owners with shippers; about 80,000 vehicles are now on it.
Co-founder and CEO of an online travel agency, as reported by The Daily Star
Digital & B2B servicesDhaka
A couple started an offline travel-booking business in 2014 and launched a full online platform in 2019. In the pandemic they survived by opening a B2B service for small agents, and later raised over $11.5 million.
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