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An inspiration for new e-commerce entrepreneurs
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(Clockwise from left) A traditional husking pedal, known as dheki in Bangla, is used to crush barley grain into powder, which is a little less fine than that generated by grinding machines. Powdered barley alongside mixtures of such textures of barley, Binni rice, wheat, chickpeas and red lentil have long been favourite eatings of rural Rajshahi. Such products now reach 62 districts from Rajshahi, thanks to entrepreneur Nipa Sen Gupta realising people’s affinity for organic foodstuff and farm to plate models.
Anwar Ali
Nipa Sen Gupta, a resident of Rajshahi district, had no idea that the lessons learnt in her school-life could help her grow into a successful entrepreneur amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
A bachelor’s student in her final year at Rajshahi Government Women’s College, Nipa sells heritage agricultural products and traditional food items.
She takes orders from the Women and e-Commerce (WE) forum on Facebook, which has more than 10 lakh members.
She also launched a separate buy and sell group on the popular social media platform on traditional agricultural products called “Oitijjhobahi Krishir Amreto Swadh”.
Nipa’s journey began in 2013 without her knowing it.
Nipa had just passed her SSC from a school in her home upazila of Iswardi in Pabna district. One day, along with her friends, she was returning home after collecting her mark sheet and certificate from the school.
“On our way home, there was a tree of Falsa fruit. The fruit was not known to everyone then, but it was tasty,” Nipa said.
“We played with it and gossiped together by sitting under the tree on uncountable occasions,” she added.
On her last day in school, Nipa took a number of photographs as a memorabilia of the tree.
“I loved the colour of the fruit.”
Bangladesh began recognising Falsa as a local fruit in January this year.”
Two years later, she settled in Rajshahi city with her husband Amreto Sarker, who works at a nongovernmental organisation.
“From the beginning of our married life, I always wanted to do something. I wanted to stand on my own feet and help my husband run the family.”
She thought about selling cooked food from home but her husband opposed the idea and insisted on putting education first.
Then the pandemic creeped in.
“We had no problem in the first few months but eventually had to suffer when his salary became irregular for several months. It was then I became desperate to do something.”
Then, one of her friends drew her attention to the WE forum.
“I surfed the group for several days and saw hundreds of women were successfully selling their products. I felt inferior. Everyone had a different product. I could not find a product for myself to start with.”
But she kept following and posting questions in the group.
One day, she posted her school-life photograph with Falsa fruits in her hand.
“I shared the photograph to entertain the group members. Even I wanted to know if there is someone having any idea of the fruit,” Nipa said.
The photograph received an enormous response.
“Many were enquiring about where to find Falsa saplings and if I could supply them.”
One medical student from Jessore, Fatima Khatun, called her to ask for saplings and requested to help her finding one.
“She was telling me that she had some good memories with the fruit and she wants to raise a tree now at her home to carry the memories.”
“It was for her that I began looking for the saplings at local nurseries. When I found one, I sent her a Falsa sapling by bus. She paid through bKash. It was my first earning.”
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