Mirsarai (Chattogram) Correspondent

Rajshahi’s mangoes and Dinajpur’s lychees are renowned across the country. Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj are known as the mango capital. Typically, mangoes are harvested during the summer and monsoon seasons. Varieties such as Gopalbhog, Himsagar or Khirsapat, Langra, and Amrapali are sold nationwide.

However, many question whether these mangoes are free from formalin or contaminated. To address this, Farhad Hossain, a young entrepreneur from Rajshahi University, took the initiative to supply formalin-free mangoes across the country. Farhad hails from Tulabaria village in Haikandi Union No. 14, Mirsarai Upazila, Chattogram. He is a fourth-year student in the Management Studies Department at Rajshahi University. He shared his journey of becoming an entrepreneur.
“After enrolling in the university, I felt deeply frustrated. Initially, I had to struggle a lot with myself. It was a battle for survival. Since class eight, I have been covering my expenses through tutoring. Upon arriving in Rajshahi, I noticed there weren’t many tutoring opportunities, and there weren’t many other sources of income either. Having assisted in my father’s business since childhood, I had some understanding of business. I posted on my Facebook page, ‘What if we supply Rajshahi’s mangoes across the country ? Many people, including well-wishers, brothers, friends, and teachers, encouraged me. Inspired by this idea, I started working with full enthusiasm. In the first year, our initiative received an overwhelming response from people. Later, I used my personal timeline to sell seasonal fruits. We took orders online and supplied mangoes to Dhaka, Chattogram, and various districts via courier and bus.We always strive to supply carefully selected, pure mangoes. As a result, we have received multiple orders from the same clients. On a smaller scale, we have also supplied lychees and blackberries. However, these fruits are very sensitive, and working with them is quite risky.Over the past years, I am delighted to have delivered mangoes to every district in the country. Overall, it has been a wonderful experience. Alongside my studies, I am doing well in this business. The income from one and a half to two months covers my study expenses for the entire year.
Last year, we supplied around 25-26 thousand kilograms of mangoes nationwide. With everyone’s trust and love, I want to move forward. By maintaining the quality of our products, we aim to work more diligently in the coming days. After completing my studies, I want to remain engaged in this business.On this matter, Mirsarai Upazila Agriculture Officer Pratap Chandra Roy said, farhad’s mango and lychee orchard is an example for young entrepreneurs. If young people become entrepreneurs, the government will come forward to support them. Besides achieving economic self-reliance, they will serve as an inspiration for others.