Success and failure stories

Four city branches and two upazila gyms that earn nothing: the name came from coaching

The first gym opened at Bahaddarhat in 2002; there are now four branches in Chattogram city and two in Patiya and Chandanaish that bring in no income. About 500 bodybuilders have been trained, with at least 150 more in training.

Started in 2002

From 12-15 labs between Shyamoli and New Market to four or five, with crockery in the other room

Around 2000 there were 12 to 15 studio labs between Shyamoli and New Market; four or five are left. This 35-year-old business has shrunk into one room and sells crockery in the other.

Eight of the town's sixteen studios are shut; the rest live on passport photos

The days of families coming in groups at Eid, Puja, weddings and Boishakh are over. Eight studios in Chandpur town have closed and eight remain, with cameras bought for 80,000-90,000 taka lying unused.

Started in 1998

From 10 taka of capital to a 50-lakh business with 200 workers

She began tailoring with 10 taka of capital, set up a training centre in 1998 and took a 25,000-taka loan from the youth development department. Investment now stands at about 50 lakh taka with 200 workers and about a lakh a month after expenses.

Capital

৳10

Started in 1998

20-25 learners a month at 5,000 taka each: about a lakh from teaching scooters

She teaches women to ride scooters at 5,000 taka per learner a month, taking 20 to 25 learners, which the report puts at roughly one lakh taka a month.

Started in 2019

Three years without a single fee, a school kept open on loans, and the homestead next

The school ran profitably and with a good name before the pandemic. After the long closures no fees came in for three years; he has borrowed to keep it open and says clearing the debt may mean selling the homestead.

From 235 students down to about 150, with a fruit stall beside the school

The school had 235 students before COVID-19; after the long closure about 60 new pupils enrolled and roughly 150 remain on the books. To keep it open she runs a fruit stall alongside and sells clothing online from one classroom.

The furniture was sold to pay the rent, and the school closed anyway: 16 jobs gone

She kept the school alive for about a year after the closures. With no fees coming in, the furniture was sold to cover the building rent; the school shut anyway and its 16 teachers and staff lost their work.

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.

School shut, and both salary and tuition went: a 35,000-taka month stopped at once

Teaching plus private tuition brought this English teacher in Panchagarh 35,000 taka a month before the pandemic. When institutions closed, both incomes stopped at the same moment.

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.