I got married right after the HSC exam. I wanted to complete my B.A but I could not sit for the final exam due to personal issues. I used to be a typical housewife back then. But I wanted to do something more with my time. So, I talked to a few of my near and dear ones. They advised me to start a poultry farm because it is a very profitable business. So, I discussed it with my husband and decided to start Sushmita Poultry Farm.

I started with a 1000 hen in 2017. My business picked up rapidly and I started making a lot of profit. I was very happy with this and was focused on continuously improving. So, I went for training arranged by Codec. The training helped me a lot to learn about maintenance of poultry farms, vaccinating the poultry, taking care of the eggs, and a lot more. It is through them I got to know about LCP. LCP gave me business-related knowledge that I never had before. Besides, the training was arranged virtually which was a unique experience for me since I never attended any virtual training or workshop. I learned a great deal from their training session about the formal procedures of managing a business, maintaining books, and also about the legal documentation required for a business.  

Currently, I have 2 poultry farms, one for the roosters and the other one for the hen. I am planning on expanding my business to cattle farms as well. So, I will be starting my third farm within a few days. Mostly, I take care of all three of the farms by myself. But this becomes physically challenging sometimes. 

My husband often helps me out so that it does not become too much pressure for me. He has been a great support for me from the start. Without his support, it would have been very difficult for me to continue my business in this society where working women are often stereotyped. I was judged for being an entrepreneur and people often passed comments like “You’re trying to be too smart for a woman”. I always ignored what those negative-minded people had to say and only looked forward. 

Apart from the criticism from the villagers, I also had to incur losses due to natural calamities and pandemics over 4 years of my business. During the cyclone Amphan, I lost chickens worth BDT 50,000. They all died due to the bad weather. In addition to that, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused me losses in the last 2 years. The price of poultry has drastically reduced. So, I have to sell my products at a loss.  I wholeheartedly pray that these difficult times are over soon. But I am also aware of the fact that there are many challenges in the life of an entrepreneur, but every challenge brings about new opportunities. So, I cannot let the obstacles pull me down. My dream to keep conducting successful business keeps me motivated all the time. 

I am expanding my business into a dairy farm. I have big dreams regarding my business. That is why I participated in the Oxfam project. So that I can arrange the investment needed to expand my business. Right now I am looking for an investment worth BDT 2.5 lacs. Then I will be able to invest the money in building my new farm and achieve my target.