Home ›› 02 Nov 2021 ›› Nation
With the hope of doing something for a living, Sheikh Asaduzzaman Biplob in Gaibandha’s Mohimaganj left home after his Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams.
He initially struggled a lot to come up with a different business idea. At last, he got it in 2013.
It was when he travelled to Balurghat, a city in India’s West Bengal, and saw colourful fish aquariums and different fish species marketed all over India.
After learning aquarium fish farming, he became an entrepreneur and built a successful business.
He initially bought some minnows and started his business in a short pool at his home.
In two years, he leased 1.5 acres of land and built an aquarium fish farm near his home by investing Tk 35,000. He collected fish eggs to produce minnows.
In five years, he earned Tk 35 lakh by selling fish.
He is now using digital equipment to take care of mother fish and collect eggs.
Now there are 36 fish species in his “Aqua Fish Land” in Jirai village near the rail station in Mohimaganj.
He said moli, gappi, plati, swordtail, Japanese kaicarp, butterfly kaicarp, goldfish, angel, fighter, jebra dania, gorami, and comet have the highest demand in the market.
A piece of fish or fingerling can be sold at Tk 15,000-35,000. Many businessmen from Dhaka go to Biplob’s farm to buy fish.
He said his monthly profit was Tk 2-2.5 lakh before the coronavirus pandemic but sales dropped during the crisis. “If the government helps me, I can grow my business.”
Bangladesh Ornamental Fish Council Senior Joint Convener Sheikh Asaduzzaman said Biplob’s success makes him proud.
He said the annual demand for aquarium fish is around Tk 600 crore.
“Individual entrepreneurs meet 50 per cent of the demand. If there is government patronage, a huge amount of foreign currency can be earned from this,” he added.
Biplob’s success has become an example for the villagers. His farm is now the pride of his village.
Gaibandha District Fisheries Officer Md Abdul Daiyan said the fisheries department would always be ready to provide all kinds of support for Biplob.
