Rajshahi entrepreneurs Murad Parvez and Nipa Sengupta thrive through e-commerce, creating jobs and promoting nutrition. Photo : BSS

By Md Aynal Haque

RAJSHAHI, Jan 19, 2026 (BSS)- Murad Parvez’s father used to buy mangoes in villages and sell them across different parts of the country.

After completing his university education, Murad Parvez also started a mango business. However, unlike his father, he did not travel from place to place with mangoes.

Instead, he took orders online and delivered them to customers’ doorsteps. People used to mock him sarcastically, saying, “His father sold mangoes. Now the son has started the same thing. Even after studying at a university, he couldn’t get a job.”
 
Murad paid no attention to such remarks. He opened a Facebook page and began taking mango orders.

In the very initial year, he received a good response. Encouraged by this, he started selling pure date molasses during the winter season.

Murad studied nutrition science, and his goal has always been to provide nutritious food. This principle is what has made him a successful entrepreneur.

Starting his journey on an e-commerce platform in 2020, Murad is now one of the largest entrepreneurs in the district.

He never chased a job; instead, he has directly created jobs for 35 people in his own organization.
 
Hailing from Paikpara village in Paba upazila of Rajshahi,  Murad Parvez, son of Muntaz Ali, completed his undergraduate degree in Food Technology and Nutrition from Noakhali Science and Technology University.

He also obtained a master’s degree from the same university in Food Safety and Public Health Nutrition.

At present, the nutritionist supplies around 2,500 to 3,000 kilograms of pure date molasses to customers every day.
 
The name of Murad’s e-commerce platform is Mango Lover. Through this platform, he sells mangoes as well as date molasses and lychees.

Murad has appointed date sap collectors (gachhis) from Bajrapur and Kathalbari villages in Paba upazila and Amgachhi village in Durgapur upazila to produce pure date molasses exclusively for him.

At a time when Rajshahi’s molasses has gained a bad reputation due to molasses being made without sap using chemicals or mixed with sugar, 41 gachhis from Bajrapur, 17 from Kathalbari, and 48 from Amgachhi are producing pure molasses for Murad’s customers.

These molasses are being sold at good prices, and the gachhis are also receiving fair compensation.

Talking to BSS here Sunday, entrepreneur Murad Parvez said he has to parcel 2,500 to 3,000 kilograms of molasses to around 1,300 customers every day.

To manage this work, 35 people are employed directly at his office. In addition, through sap collection and molasses production from around 6,000 date palm trees, about 80 gachhis have gained indirect employment.

At Murad’s e-commerce platform Mango Lover, one kilogram of patali gur and lali gur is sold at Taka 390, while bij or “chocolate” molasses is sold at Taka 490 per kilogram.

In response to the growing number of complaints about adulterated food products in e-commerce, the Department of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) has undertaken on-site inspections.

As part of this initiative, the DNRCP inspected date palm jaggery (khejur gur) production activities in Bajrapur village of Paba upazila in Rajshahi recently.

Ibrahim Hossain, Divisional Deputy Director of the DNRCP, inspected the production process of the sap collectors supplying the Mango Lover e-commerce platform expressing satisfaction.

Meanwhile, e-commerce entrepreneurship in Rajshahi is rapidly expanding, driven by digital skill initiatives, local IT firm support, and women empowerment initiatives.

Key drivers include specialized IT agencies and training seminars. Entrepreneurs are thriving through social commerce and selling traditional, agro-based products. 

Nipa Sengupta, 23, one of the promising entrepreneurs, has engaged herself with the business with millet powder and burley flour with initial investment of Taka 500 around ten years back.

From the very beginning, she got a massive response for her burley product as its nutrition and food value is higher compared to other food grains.

As her products' popularity was rising rapidly, she added mixed grinding powder of burley, wheat, rice, lentil and chickpea to her products' list.

After getting remarkable response from the clients, she also added adulteration-free sugarcane gur, butter, whole wheat flour, manually manufactured indigenous rice and seasonal pickles.

Nipa said, "I have never thought of becoming an income generator in my life. I sell products of Tk 1.05 lakh per month." Nipa viewed that e-business is playing a vital role in generating identity of the women which is very important in terms of women empowerment.

Two marginal women were involved with the business of Nipa and they are helping their respective families through their income.

Abeda Begum, 48, of Dubail village under Tanore upazila in the district, said she is earning.