Entrepreneur
His dealings with fresh fish
Mansura Hossain
Published: 20 September 2020, 12:06
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Entrepreneur Farazan Akhtar delivered fresh fish to the buyer's doorstep. Photo: Collected
Meni, Chapila, Chala, Kaika, Piyali, Guthum, Beel's five mixed fish, Tangra, Desi Koi, Shola, Putti, Sarpunti, Satkhira's Parshe, Batasi, Kazuli, Pabda, Tapse, Kakila, Gang Bacha, Gulsha, Tarabain, Nadir Bele, Chanda, Folly, Tatkini, Khalla Bata, Lacho, Shrimp, Hilsa, Rupchanda — the list is even longer. Someone wanted to cut a small fish, so the fish is being cut on one side. Some people want live magur-koi, so jumping with water in polythene, magur is being filled. Those who take whole fish are also packed with ice in big cartons so that they are not spoiled. And in the gap of this, fish cartons are being picked up in cars or motorbikes ready to go to different areas of the capital including Uttara and Mirpur. It was about 11 o'clock when all the work was finished. The work started from that morning.
On September 11, in the capital's West Rampura, I went to the office of the online enterprise River Fish and saw a commotion over fresh fish. So many arrangements have been made to reach the homes of the online buyers of River Fish as soon as they get the fish from the beels around Barisal, Kishoreganj, Chandpur, Dhaka.
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Farzana Akhtar, the founder of River Fish, said many fish are endangered. So we try to collect as much as possible according to the needs of the buyer. After informing the demand of the buyer on the previous day, the demand was informed at the ports of different areas. Farzana worked as a journalist for a private television station. Recently left that.
Farzana Akhtar, who has been involved with the River Fish initiative for a year and a half, said it was more important for online businesses to gain buyers' credibility. There are more challenges in doing business with fish as it is a perishable product. Every effort is made to prevent rotten fish from entering the buyer's home. Even then, if a buyer is never satisfied with the fish, an attempt is made to achieve the buyer's satisfaction with the fish or by returning the money. In this way, the same buyer is repeatedly buying fish. The number of registered buyers on the River Fish page is over three thousand.
Along with Farzana River Fish, Feriwala runs another online venture called Dhaka. In most cases, the fish buyers are buying various products from the peddlers including dried sweet chillies, dried fruits, mustard oil, homemade powdered spices and rice. Tatta vegetables will also be added to this initiative in the future.
Farzana started the river fish business with a capital of only Rs 10,000. The profits from the business were not used in other sectors. In this way the range of business continues to grow. Now they are selling fish for an average of around two lakh rupees a day. 15 permanent workers are working in two shifts. Three women are working to cut the fish. Regular bike riders are delivering the product. In other sectors including office rent, the cost is three and a half lakh rupees per month.
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Many buyers leave the phone after hearing the woman's voice. One day a buyer said, Maiya people sell fish, this is how it is again. Again, many expressed doubts about whether I would recognize the fish on the phone. However, many women are encouraged to do business with fish.
Farzana, Entrepreneur, River Fish
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Farzana said she took a salary of Rs 50,000 from River Fish herself. Apart from this, he is spending on other sectors including buying motorbikes and cars from the profit of the business.
It was seen in the office of River Fish from 8:30 am to 11:30 pm that Farzana and others did not have time to catch their breath with the fish. On that day, more than 130 kg of fish was delivered to the homes of various buyers in the capital. According to the demand of the buyers, three women cut and washed 11 kg small fish. Farzana said while reconciling the accounts, one buyer took fish worth Tk 32,000. Among others, some have taken 11,000, some 10,000 and some have taken small quantities of fish according to the needs of the family. On that day, a total of 35 orders were received, big and small.
Farzana told a different story about different endangered fish. Said, the boy lives abroad. He heard the names of many fish in his mother's mouth, which he himself did not know. Seeing the name of the fish on the river fish page, he decided to give the fish as a gift to his mother. However, there is a condition that the mother may not know anything in advance. River Fish staff arranged the packets accordingly and sent gifts to the mother. A woman on a peace mission also sent fish to her father-in-law's house. He also received orders to send some exceptional fish to the homes of different people including political leaders at different times.
Farzana said, ‘Many buyers call and leave the phone after hearing the female voice. One day a buyer said, Maiya people sell fish, this is how it is again. Again, many expressed doubts about whether I would recognize the fish on the phone. However, many women are encouraged to do business with fish.
Farzana did not rush into the fish business. Learning everything and working. That is why he is satisfied with the stage at which this fresh fish initiative is now.