Amid Digital Shift, Veteran Rangpur Newspaper Hawker Persists in Two-Decade Struggle
As the city of Rangpur begins to stir before dawn, 45-year-old Manju Hossain Majnu arrives at the Rangpur Press Club, pedaling a bicycle laden with bundles of newspapers. For two decades, this routine has served as the anchor of his life, a steadfast commitment to the print industry even as digital consumption reshapes the landscape of news.
Majnu’s journey into this profession began in 2005 at the age of 24. Forced to abandon his formal education after the fifth grade due to extreme financial hardship, he stepped into the workforce to support his parents and siblings. Following the death of his father, a vegetable seller, the burden of sustaining the household fell entirely on his shoulders. Today, he remains unmarried, living in the city’s Kachna Takyarpara area, where he serves as the sole provider for his elderly mother, Anwara Begum.
The transition to an era dominated by smartphones and instant online news has significantly impacted the newspaper trade. A decade ago, Majnu could earn between 700 and 1,000 taka in daily profit, but those figures have plummeted as readership habits shifted. Currently, his monthly income ranges from 12,000 to 15,000 taka, a modest sum that barely covers his daily expenses, household bills, and his mother’s essential medical costs.
Despite the shrinking market and the diminished demand for print media, Majnu refuses to abandon his vocation. For him, the profession is more than a livelihood; it is a lifelong habit and his only means of survival. His dedication has not gone unnoticed by the local community. Regular visitors to the Rangpur Press Club, including veteran journalists, praise his unwavering sense of responsibility and discipline. They characterize his story not merely as that of a newspaper vendor, but as a narrative of resilience in the face of a rapidly changing era.
Anwara Begum speaks of her son with profound gratitude, noting that he often prioritizes her needs over his own. As the city wakes to a world of digital notifications and screens, Majnu continues to find purpose in the physical act of distributing the news. Each morning, guided by the weight of the bundles on his bicycle and the responsibility he feels toward his mother, he continues his cycle of labor, anchored by a belief that his work remains a vital contribution to the community.
