Pandemic fallout: Daily wage earner turns kite seller | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Friday
July 04, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
FRIDAY, JULY 04, 2025
Pandemic fallout: Daily wage earner turns kite seller

Covid-19 in Bangladesh

Sanjoy Sarker
05 July, 2020, 12:30 pm
Last modified: 05 July, 2020, 01:12 pm

Related News

  • Bangladesh reports 36 Covid-19 cases in 24hrs
  • Bangladesh reports one more Covid-19 death, 49 cases in 24hrs
  • Bangladesh sees one more Covid-19 death since 27 June, 66 cases in 24hrs
  • Bangladesh reports 86 Covid-19 cases in 24 hours
  • Bangladesh reports 153 more Covid-19 cases

Pandemic fallout: Daily wage earner turns kite seller

Many have now been forced to find alternative employment

Sanjoy Sarker
05 July, 2020, 12:30 pm
Last modified: 05 July, 2020, 01:12 pm
A man, like many others in Netrokona, who used to be a daily wage earner has now turns to selling kites to maintain his family expenses. TBS Photo
A man, like many others in Netrokona, who used to be a daily wage earner has now turns to selling kites to maintain his family expenses. TBS Photo

Millions of low-income people are struggling to bear their household expenses now as the Covid-19 outbreak has put many out of work.

Many have been forced to find alternative employment.

Minu Miah, 65, a day labourer from Madan upazila of Netrokona district, is one of them.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Failing to find any work as a daily wage earner, he has been selling kites for the last three months.

Minu said, "I became unemployed when the general holidays had been imposed across the country. Then I saw people spending their time at home flying kites. So I made myself a kite and flew it for a few days."

"Then a guy from my village told me to make a kite for his kid. Later, he gave me some money for that. This is when the business idea of making and selling kites crossed my mind."

In the last three months, he made and sold at least 400 big and small kites, Minu said, adding that he can make four-five types of kites.

Depending on the size, the price of a kite varies from Tk250 to Tk1,000. Also, many people are placing orders for larger kites which cost a little bit more.

Since it is the rainy season, Minu is making kites with polythene instead of paper. This makes the kite durable and it does not get damaged by rain or wind.

In addition to polythene, bamboo splits and thread cost Minu a little more. Except for these small costs, the money he gets from selling kites is his profit.

"Even though the general holidays have been lifted, I do not work as a day labourer for the fear of contracting coronavirus. I am managing my household expenses by selling kites."

Not only the residents of Madan upazila but also many kite enthusiasts from far and wide are coming to collect kites from Minu.

Abdul Awal, a resident of Madan, said, "Not only Minu but many others like him are making and selling kites now. There is a huge demand for kites after the Covid-19 outbreak."

The general holidays, imposed considering the Covid-19 situation in the country, pushed everyone indoors.

Confined to homes, many people in towns and villages of Netrokona district started flying kites. It has continued even after the general holidays have been lifted.

Top News

Covid -19 in Bangladesh / Coronavrus in Bangladesh / Coronavirus impact / Coronavirus Pandemic / Covid-19 crisis / Daily wage earner / Kite / Kite seller

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Graphics: TBS
    How courier failures are undermining Bangladesh’s online perishables trade
  • Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman. File Photo: UNB
    Fair polls impossible without fundamental reforms: Jamaat ameer
  • File Photo of a vegetable market. Photo: TBS
    Vegetable prices rise while chicken, egg prices fall in Dhaka markets

MOST VIEWED

  • History in women's football: Bangladesh qualify for Asian Cup for the first time
    History in women's football: Bangladesh qualify for Asian Cup for the first time
  • What it will take to merge crisis-hit Islamic banks
    What it will take to merge crisis-hit Islamic banks
  • Govt to pay 3-year high ACU bill of $2b next week
    Govt to pay 3-year high ACU bill of $2b next week
  • 3 July 2024: Momentum builds as quota protest enters third day
    3 July 2024: Momentum builds as quota protest enters third day
  • Photo: Collected
    Court orders seizure of S Alam Group assets over Tk10,280cr defaulted loan
  • Sabir Mustafa. Sketch: TBS
    Has the time come for Bangladesh to embrace PR? 

Related News

  • Bangladesh reports 36 Covid-19 cases in 24hrs
  • Bangladesh reports one more Covid-19 death, 49 cases in 24hrs
  • Bangladesh sees one more Covid-19 death since 27 June, 66 cases in 24hrs
  • Bangladesh reports 86 Covid-19 cases in 24 hours
  • Bangladesh reports 153 more Covid-19 cases

Features

Contrary to long-held assumptions, Gen Z isn’t politically clueless — they understand both local and global politics well. Photo: TBS

A misreading of Gen Z’s ‘political disconnect’ set the stage for Hasina’s ouster

53m | Panorama
Graphics: TBS

How courier failures are undermining Bangladesh’s online perishables trade

28m | Panorama
The July Uprising saw people from all walks of life find themselves redrawing their relationship with politics. Photo: Mehedi Hasan

Red July: The political awakening of our urban middle class

9h | Panorama
Illustration: TBS

Grameen Jibon: A business born from soil, memory, and the scent of home

12h | Features

More Videos from TBS

Ukraine war: Trump under pressure from his own party

Ukraine war: Trump under pressure from his own party

1h | TBS World
News of The Day, 04 JULY 2025

News of The Day, 04 JULY 2025

38m | TBS News of the day
Contractor witnesses shooting of hungry people in Gaza

Contractor witnesses shooting of hungry people in Gaza

3h | TBS Stories
Russia first country to recognize Taliban rule

Russia first country to recognize Taliban rule

6h | TBS World
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net