After spending nearly 18 years abroad, Md. Zahidul Islam returned to Bangladesh and established himself as an agricultural entrepreneur. His journey began with a simple goal—producing chemical-free crops for his family. Over time, this initiative evolved into a commercially successful venture.

Now, Zahidul owns 100 bighas of farmland on the banks of the Padma River, where he cultivates over 20 different crops and produces hundreds of agricultural products.

A life of many turns

Born in Pangsha, Rajbari, Zahidul was admitted to Jhenaidah Cadet College in seventh grade, dreaming of joining the army. He secured an opportunity in 1982 but had to leave due to a ligament injury during training. Following his parents’ wishes, he enrolled in medical school, but it didn’t hold his interest. Eventually, he pursued a degree at Dhaka University.

Though his parents wanted him to have a stable job, Zahidul was always drawn to business. After graduating, he ventured into contracting and import business, but faced challenges due to lack of experience. To strengthen his business knowledge, he enrolled in IBA at Dhaka University and completed his MBA in 1990.

He briefly worked as a project manager in a private business group before moving to the United States in 1992. There, he studied IT courses and later launched an e-commerce website, which he ran for 20 years. In 2012, Zahidul decided to return to Bangladesh.

From Personal Need to Commercial Success

After returning, Zahidul co-founded a construction consultancy firm with an architect friend in 2012. While working there, he became increasingly interested in agriculture.

He noticed that many crops available in Dhaka were of poor quality, prompting him to grow chemical-free crops for his own family in 2014. Starting small in his ancestral home in Rajbari, he cultivated lentils, wheat, mustard, and vegetables. His first harvest was so successful that he not only met his family’s needs but also sold surplus crops to acquaintances. This success inspired him to pursue agriculture on a commercial scale, leading to the establishment of his agribusiness, Kule-Kapra, in 2015.

Large-Scale Farming Begins

Initially, Zahidul struggled to find suitable land for large-scale farming. However, he discovered vast unused land on the Pabna-Kushtia border along the Padma River. He purchased 100 bighas of land and hired local workers to prepare it for cultivation.

His initial investment was around 60 lakh BDT. Later, he secured a loan from the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF). So far, he has invested around 5 crore BDT in land acquisition, farm development, processing units, and cultivation.

Currently, his company employs 12 full-time workers and 25 seasonal workers. Annual sales from Kule-Kapra average 20-25 lakh BDT.

What Kule-Kapra Produces

Zahidul’s farm produces a wide variety of crops, including:
✅ Cereals & Grains: Sugarcane, rice, wheat, barley, oats, buckwheat (Dhemsi)
✅ Legumes: Lentils, peas, black gram (Mashkalai), pigeon pea (Arhar), mung bean, hyacinth bean (Helen Dal)
✅ Oilseeds & Herbs: Mustard, coriander, sesame, fenugreek, flaxseed, black cumin
✅ Spices & Vegetables: Onion, garlic
✅ Herbal & Medicinal Plants: Butterfly pea (Aparajita), Roselle tea, hibiscus, curry leaves, neem, tulsi, moringa, papaya leaves

His farm also processes crops into finished products, such as:

• Rice from paddy
• Flour from wheat
• Various types of molasses from sugarcane

He has three processing units to handle these operations. His products are sold primarily in Dhaka and Chattogram, reaching both retail and wholesale customers. Orders are placed through WhatsApp groups, and his wife Julia Yasmin oversees sales and marketing. Kule-Kapra also has a retail outlet in Banani, Dhaka.

A Sustainable Vision for the Future

Zahidul’s long-term goal is to practice eco-friendly, sustainable farming. He avoids chemical pesticides, opting for natural pest control solutions instead. For example, he uses a blend of 11 bitter plant extracts to combat crop pests.

Despite his success, he has faced challenges, such as river erosion affecting some of his land and land grabbing by local criminals. However, he remains determined to expand his business into livestock, fisheries, and poultry farming.

Zahidul believes, “Eco-sustainable farming is crucial for our country. It doesn’t require huge investments. If the government provides policy support and security, community-based farming can expand significantly.”

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