Forsaking the rigid confines of a corporate desk job in Dhaka, a university graduate in Kurigram has transformed his father's fallow land into a thriving integrated agro-farm that now yields a monthly income of approximately two lakh BDT. Ariful Islam, an alumnus of Carmichael College in Rangpur, charted a remarkably unconventional career path after struggling to cope with the relentless pressure of a private sector job that he initially took up following the completion of his education.
Situated in Kishamat Gobadha village under Ghorialdanga Union of Rajarhat Upazila, Ariful's enterprise—branded as Afra Cattle Farm near the Baghachhra Beel—has expanded significantly since its humble inception. What began as a modest broiler chicken venture funded by a 30,000 BDT loan has now blossomed into a comprehensive agricultural operation housing 15 dairy cows, 2,000 layer chickens, and roughly 4,000 pangas fish spread across two dedicated ponds.
The turning point of his entrepreneurial journey arrived in 2020 when Ariful utilized savings from selling broiler chickens to purchase two high-yielding dairy cows. Over subsequent years, through strategic livestock trading—including the purchase of 30 bull calves from a military camp auction in Lalmonirhat and their subsequent profitable sale in early 2022—he steadily grew his assets. By 2024, he acquired a Friesian cow with a calf and leased an additional 120 decimals of land alongside his father's 100 decimals to cultivate fodder, bringing his current daily milk yield to approximately 80 liters.
Diversifying operations further, Ariful invested 50,000 BDT in December of last year to stock fish fingerlings, which have now grown to a market value of about 5.5 lakh BDT. Meanwhile, the layer chicken shed generates a daily output of 1,800 eggs, netting a monthly profit of around 1.5 lakh BDT after deducting feed and operational expenses. Today, the total asset valuation of the farm stands at roughly one crore BDT, a financial milestone the entrepreneur asserts would have been impossible to achieve through conventional employment in such a brief span.
This success story has also brought profound social dividends to the local community by creating stable employment for four marginalized individuals, including former daily-wage laborer Rajkumar Roy, who now earns a steady monthly salary of 15,000 BDT to support his family. While family members—including his wife Ummme Sabihatun Jannat (Sinti), a computer science graduate, and his father, retired schoolteacher Md. Dolil Uddin Bhuiyan—initially resisted his departure from a formal career due to societal stigma, they have since become his staunchest supporters.
Despite the thriving enterprise, challenges remain, with Ariful noting a lack of substantial financial assistance from local administrative bodies. Addressing the concerns, District Livestock Officer Habibur Rahman clarified that while the department lacks provisions for direct monetary grants, local farmers regularly receive technical assistance, vaccinations, and medical support through Upazila livestock offices, noting that the district currently supports over 450 marginal dairy farms maintaining more than ten cattle each.
