Through self-belief, hard work and family support, Touhidul Alam Tushar has built a cattle farm and established himself as a successful entrepreneur. Raising cattle and selling milk, buttermilk and ghee has not only made him financially self-reliant but also set an example as a successful entrepreneur in his area. Those familiar with his work say his initiative is inspiring interest in self-employment and commercial livestock farming among local residents.
Starting with just one heifer in 2005 in Kacharipara village, Juniadaha union, Bheramara upazila, Kushtia, he has now built a large-scale cattle farm. He is currently the owner of “Toufique Dairy and Food Product.” The farm’s scale gradually grew, and it now holds 15 cows.
He built the farm on his own land behind the Juniadaha tehsil office. He raises Friesian-breed cattle in a large tin-shed structure. Several salaried workers help look after the farm.
Grass is cultivated beside the farm. Workers said the cattle are fattened using modern methods with a balanced diet of straw, bran and oil cake. Another new shed is also being built, where he plans to produce yoghurt from milk produced at his own farm.
Tushar’s farm currently produces 100 to 120 litres of milk a day, sometimes reaching as much as 150 litres. He collects the milk, separates the cream, and makes buttermilk using fully mechanised, hygienic methods. Tushar personally oversees the entire process, staying present during milk collection. He has four employees. Along with their 20,000-taka salaries, his total monthly costs run to around 120,000 taka.
Farmer Touhidul Alam Tushar said: “I sell milk at 100 taka a litre. These days I sell less milk directly — I’ve kept a craftsman on. Now I make buttermilk from my farm’s milk and sell it around Bheramara’s markets by van. I built two vehicles for selling buttermilk, costing 280,000 taka. This has created jobs for two more people.”
He further said: “Every day, I start selling buttermilk from Fajr prayer time. My sales continue by vehicle from morning onward. I can sell 40 to 80 litres of buttermilk a day. On Fridays, sales go even higher. People come from various places to my house just to drink buttermilk. I sell it for 20 taka a glass and 140 taka a litre. This earns me 10,000 to 12,000 taka a day.”
His initiative has not only changed his own fortunes but has also created employment for several unemployed young men in the area.
Liton, who came to buy buttermilk, said: “Everyone in my family really likes this buttermilk. That’s why I come here to get it.”
Bheramara upazila livestock officer Tarique Hasan said: “We provide entrepreneurs with regular technical advice, disease prevention support, vaccination, feed management and farm management guidance. Entrepreneurs like Touhidul Alam Tushar are an inspiration to others. We hope many more will be encouraged to take up commercial livestock farming, following his example.”
Starting from a small operation, Tushar has now become known as a successful farmer. His farm is now regarded as one of the upazila’s biggest and most successful. Altogether, Tushar’s cattle farm has become recognised as an example of a successful entrepreneur in Bheramara.