DHAKA, May 09, 2026 (BSS)- Her name is Anuja Saha Annie. After passing her MSc from a college under the National University she visited to different places for a job. But she couldn’t. At one point, she decided to give up the hope and do something herself. Anuja can cook well, and using that skill, she started selling food with a capital of Taka 1,000. After that, she did not have to look back.  Today, she becomes a successful female entrepreneur. She not only just brought prosperity to her family; she has also provided employment to many other women. Anuja Saha Annie used to live in Gopalpur of Pabna town. She already became quite popular with her initiative. Many new entrepreneurs are following her. They say that she has become a shining example for youths to be self-reliant, instead of chasing for job and depending on others.  Anuja, the only child of retired school teachers Amulya Kumar Saha and Anjana Saha, passed her SSC in 2004. After that, she had to get married. In the meantime, a son came to her lap. Even then, she continued her studies with her own efforts while managing the house and daughter. She completed her post-graduation in 2012. “Meanwhile, my husband Bilpab Kumar’s business was also going badly. As a result, we fell into deep financial crisis,” said Anuja.  “My family’s financial condition was also not good. So, I applied for jobs as soon as I saw job advertisements in newspapers. But I couldn’t make any progress that way.” She said, “I saw stories of women entrepreneurs in different parts of the country in the pages of newspapers. I was quite inspired by reading those success stories of women. At one point, I gave up hope of a job and planned to start a business. That’s what I did.” Annie said, “With the help of my mother, I started a home delivery service of cooked food on a small scale with a capital of Taka 1,000. In this way, the orders gradually increased. Seeing more orders, my interest increased even more. I started a large-scale business.” “After that, the overall situation has changed. In the last 14 years, I have changed my fortune. Many people have found their job in my venture which was a matter of pleasure and satisfaction for me,” Annie said.  She said that the size of the business has expanded with gradual increase of the capital. By running the household expenses and paying the salaries of the employees, she earns Taka 4 to 5 lakh at the end of every month.   Anuja does not stop here. She has also taken training on small women entrepreneurs from the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), Youth Development, and Women's Affairs Department. She has also started a restaurant named 'Mayer Parash'.  She has become known to everyone of the area by selling food to the poor at low price. While talking to this reporter, Anuja said, “My mother was initially reluctant to start a business. When I was struggling with the harsh realities of family life, my mother agreed.”  Entrepreneur Annie’s mother was a skilled cook. After learning cooking from her, she started a home delivery service and gained quite a reputation. The home delivery service started supplying various types of pitha, cakes, sweets, bakery items, rice, and biryani to different parts of the Pabna region.  She said, “I have been doing business for the past 14 years, going through many ups and downs. I have organized an entrepreneur fair. Ten workers now work with me. Arrangements have been made for their employment.” About her future plan, Annie said, “I want to take my business to a larger scale. I want to provide employment to many more people.” And I would tell the girls, “No job is small. You have to work hard, you have to persevere, only then you success will come,” she said.  Her husband Biplab Kumar is also very happy with Annie’s success.  He said, "When my business situation deteriorated, we fell into deep crisis. I didn't know what to do. Then Annie took a bold decision and started the business. At first, I was afraid. But, gradually, the business is doing well, so I am supporting her.”  Annie said, “In the future, I want to provide better quality food to the people of Pabna.” Regarding Anuja's initiative, local human rights activist Kamal Siddiqui said, “I have seen Annie’s struggle from the beginning. Even though her dream of getting a job did not come true, she has started doing business. She is taking care of her elderly parents. She has become a role model for other women. This is also a matter of pride for us.” Advocate Kamrunnahar Jolly, president of the Pabna branch of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, said, "Annie is a successful female entrepreneur. Many women in Pabna have become entrepreneurs after seeing her. Her parents and husband are also supporting her. She is a role model of the society.”  

PIROJPUR, May 9, 2026 (BSS) - At least 13 business establishments were gutted  in a devastating fire that broke out at Shariktala Bazar in Sadar upazila of  the district early this morning.   According to Fire Service and local sources, the blaze erupted around 1:00 am  in one of the shops at the market and quickly engulfed the adjacent  establishments within minutes.   A total of 11 shops, including a pharmacy, decorator shop, and grocery  stores, were completely destroyed in the fire, while two other shops  sustained partial damage.   On receiving the information, two units of the Pirojpur Fire Service rushed  to the scene and worked for nearly two hours with the assistance of local  residents to bring the fire under control.   Jugal Biswas, station officer of the Pirojpur Fire Service, said preliminary  investigations suggest that the fire may have originated from an electrical  short-circuit.   "We managed to control the fire after about two hours of effort with two fire  service units," he said.   He added that, based on statements from local traders, the estimated loss  caused by the fire is about Taka 70 lakh.