My  name is Manisha Akhter. I am currently studying music at Dhaka University of Dhaka .Besides, I am an entrepreneur, working on sarees and grocery items. Everyone wants to be self-reliant, but people from middle-class families seem to desire financial independence at an earlier age. So I always wanted to do something out of the desire to be self-reliant. I used to notice that the seniors from my university operating small businesses on their own and that’s when me and my roommate dreamt of setting up such a business 

In December of 2019 my roommate added me to a Facebook group called Women and e- Commerce Forum -( WE). After getting added to the group I came to know about Rajib Ahmed sir. After reading his post I got more inspired. Today all this inspiration and strength that I have  is mostly because of Rajib Ahmed sir and Nasima Akter Nisa.

In 2020 I worked as a stall worker for Bangla Academy in ‘Ekushey Boi mela’ but unfortunately in March 2020 COVID-19 hit hard and I had to move back to my hometown. Because of this never ending lockdown I was getting frustrated and bored sitting idly at home. And I figured out that the only way I can find some mental  peace is by keeping myself busy and that’s when my desire to start up a business became intense.

I have a group which includes five of my closest childhood friends. Even though they are in different universities now, we all are well connected so I shared my idea with them and they seemed to be interested too, then we decided to work on sarees. Then without thinking any further we ended up starting a business page called ‘Poncho-Shuta’ even though we had no idea how to maintain a page, how to collect cash capital  for our business or how to set price for products we still wanted to succeed, so we started off with very little capital along with very little knowledge about a business. But at a certain point we had to close our business page down because of some technical issue. Spending a few more loafy days my roommate suggested that I join her business page named ‘Rizieq’ Which she and her friend owns  and  they sell grocery items. I happily joined them as I thought I will get to learn how to operate a business and I can also save cash capital for my own business. After working hard on promoting our business we were finally able to make people recognize ‘Riziq’  and today ‘Riziq ‘ is a well known and trusted site.

In June of 2021 the idea of reopening ‘Poncho-Shuta’ clicked me and I decided to reopen the page alone. And after doing so by the Grace of Almighty now I am getting a good response from people all around.

The beginning of this whole journey was very challenging for me. I did not have family support the way. Although I persuaded my mother for cash capital, my mother first told me I was being too ambitious for a woman. My father asked me what I need money for. Everyone in the family used to say that I need to focus on my studies as they put all their hopes on me and expect me to be an artist and have a stable job. But now my family is my biggest supporter. My mother recently handed me over 10 thousand taka and asked me to expand my dreams further.

All these trusts, love, acquaintances, prayers, self-confidence, respect, financial well-being are finally an identity, these are my hard earned achievements. 

All I want now is to see ‘Poncho-Shuta’ and ‘Rizik’ as a brand in the future. I want people from all classes to love and appreciate my work.

Bangla Version