Writer: Shangida Islam Dipti
“I was never born to be a businesswoman.”
It is an unexpected confession from someone who has spent nearly two decades exporting Bangladeshi products to some of the world’s most demanding markets. Long before she founded Jute Land Bangladesh, Protima Chakraborty imagined an entirely different future for herself.
Yet today, her work reaches homes across the United States, Canada, and Europe, while thousands of artisans in Bangladesh depend on the opportunities her business has created.
Growing up in Dinajpur, Protima dreamed of becoming a scientist. At different stages of her life, she also imagined herself as a university professor or a journalist. After completing her MSS in Economics, she began building a career as an Export Manager, travelling across countries and gaining firsthand knowledge of international trade. It was during those years that something unexpected happened.
Instead of simply placing orders, several foreign buyers encouraged her to build her own company. They saw qualities in her that she had never fully recognized herself. Their confidence planted a seed that eventually grew into Jute Land Bangladesh, founded in 2007 with a purpose far greater than selling products. Protima wanted to take Bangladesh’s natural fibres to the world, earn valuable foreign currency for the country, and create meaningful employment; especially for rural women.
What began as a small export venture has since evolved into an international business producing everything from handcrafted bags and baskets to premium home décor and lifestyle products made from jute and other natural fibres. Today, while her factory directly employs around 30 people, nearly 5,000 artisans across various production clusters work with Jute Land Bangladesh throughout the year.
The journey, however, was far from smooth.
Launching an export business as a woman invited criticism, jealousy, and resistance. Protima faced financial constraints despite having confirmed orders. At times, she encountered personal attacks and intimidation simply because she chose to pursue business. Yet she refused to let obstacles define her. “When I saw that thousands of people’s livelihoods were connected to my work, giving up was never really an option,” she reflects.
The COVID-19 pandemic tested that determination once again. International orders disappeared almost overnight; production slowed, and financial losses mounted. But instead of stepping away, Protima focused on protecting relationships with buyers and supporting the artisans who depended on her enterprise. The crisis taught her that entrepreneurship is measured not only by profits, but also by responsibility during difficult times.
Today, Jute Land Bangladesh exports exclusively to international markets, including the United States, Canada, and several European countries. Competing against manufacturing giants like China and India remains challenging, yet Protima believes Bangladesh possesses something equally powerful; skilled artisans, sustainable natural resources, and stories woven into every handcrafted product.
Her ambitions continue to grow. She dreams of establishing new artisan clusters across Bangladesh, building a large-scale manufacturing facility, and one day becoming a supplier for global retail chains such as Tesco and Walmart.
For Protima Chakraborty, entrepreneurship has never been about building a company alone. It is about creating opportunities where none existed, proving that Bangladeshi craftsmanship belongs on the global stage, and empowering thousands of people to dream bigger than their circumstances.
Perhaps that is why the woman who never intended to become an entrepreneur has become exactly the kind of entrepreneur Bangladesh needs.