Real experiences, published anonymously and with permission.
A young computer engineer in Gaibandha Sadar running a dhenki-husked rice business
Food processingGaibandha
A computer engineer in Gaibandha left his job during the pandemic and built an electric dhenki. Selling dhenki-husked rice online for two years, he earns Tk 30,000-35,000 a month.
A 71-year-old ghani mustard-oil maker in a village of Sunamganj Sadar
Food processingSunamganj
A couple in a remote Sunamganj village started pressing oil in a ghani during hard times and never adulterated it. Father and son now run it, earning Tk 30,000-40,000 a month after costs.
A 53-year-old farmer and palm and local-fruit trader in Sultanshi village, Habiganj
Retail & wholesaleHabiganj
A farmer in Habiganj buys palm trees on contract and sells the fruit in markets and to wholesalers. His roughly 40-day Bhadra season brings Tk 3-4 lakh.
A young date-sap seller in Buriching, Cumilla, returned from Dubai
Agriculture & farmingCumilla
A young man from Cumilla, back from Dubai, began collecting sap from abandoned date palms. He earns several lakh taka in the three-month season, and customers must order sap in advance.
Three young friends in Dhaka running a hand-dyed clothing business
Light manufacturing & workshopDhaka
Three polytechnic students stuck at home during the pandemic started selling hand-dyed clothes. With two Facebook pages and an outlet, they now have 10 staff.
A 49-year-old agri clinic and animal-health service provider in Dinajpur Sadar
Home & local servicesDinajpur
A class-nine-educated farm and livestock service provider in Dinajpur began animal treatment after three months of training. He now runs a clinic, a medicine shop and organic fertiliser production from his home.
A 53-year-old maker of cartons and jute-mill cones in Jashore
Light manufacturing & workshopJashore
A little-educated entrepreneur in Jashore went from sack stitching to collecting waste carton and then to making paper products. He now turns discarded cartons into pulp and sells yarn cones to jute mills.
A seed grower in Kumarkhali, Kushtia, who produces onion seed
Agriculture & farmingKushtia
A farmer in Kumarkhali, Kushtia, began seed farming on 16 decimals in 2003 and now farms about 20 bigha, 12 of them onion seed. By his account about Tk 25 lakh a year is left after costs.
A woman artisan in Lakshmibaur village, Chhatak, Sunamganj, who weaves shitalpati with her daughter
Light manufacturing & workshopSunamganj
A woman in Chhatak, Sunamganj, has made and sold shitalpati mats, hand fans and baskets of bamboo and cane at village markets for about 20 years, supporting her household with her daughter. She now wants to grow sales through the internet.
The owner of a small tehari shop in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, who was once its employee
Food processingDhaka
A small tehari shop in Dhanmondi opened in 1987, and a staff member later became its owner. Around 2010-11 it sold Tk 2-2.5 lakh a day, but crowds of lookalike-name shops have cut that to Tk 70,000-80,000.
A woman entrepreneur in Nishchintapur, Thakurgaon, who owns paneer factories
Food processingThakurgaon
A housewife in Thakurgaon took a loan in 2012 and began making paneer from 27 litres of milk. One factory now turns 2,200 litres a day into paneer, two more handle 2,500 litres, and over a hundred people work for her.
A fruit grower in Pekua, Cox's Bazar, and former migrant worker
Agriculture & farmingCox's Bazar
A former migrant worker in Pekua, Cox's Bazar, planted a four-acre mixed orchard after watching YouTube. He sold Tk 22 lakh of fruit from the first harvest, but a July flood the next season cost him about Tk 10 lakh.
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