Tipu Sultan’s emergence as a vlogger from a fuchka seller
With just a small stall and a phone camera, Tipu Sultan built an online following from the streets of Dhaka. His fuchka business now brings in brand deals and corporate gigs
Failing to go to Italy, Tipu Sultan came to Dhaka to find a way to earn a passable living. In 2022, after completing his Higher Secondary Certificate examination, he arrived in the capital with a grand ambition — to change his fate.
His dream was to build a better life in Italy, just like many others in his village, but financial constraints forced him to stay. Instead of boarding a flight, he found himself standing beside his cousins at a roadside stall, selling fuchka. It was meant to be temporary, just a way to pass the time.
Little did he know, his life was about to take an unexpected turn.
Within days, Sultan decided to set up his own fuchka-selling business. "I started with just a modest capital of Tk2,000. The business was steady, but I tried to do something new," he said.
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One day, he pulled out his phone and started recording. It was an impulsive decision, one without grand expectations. But fate, it seemed, had other plans.
Tipu made a short video recording his daily life as a fuchka seller and uploaded it on a random night on Facebook, without expecting to be noticed. But to his utter surprise, it went viral.
In the morning, waking up and logging into his Facebook, he was stunned to see that his simple video had garnered over half a million views in just a few hours!
From that moment on, there was no looking back for Sultan.
The Bangshal resident youth continued creating more videos on his daily life, and his business strategies, sharing the struggles he has to go through as a fuchka seller.
In the beginning, customers were puzzled. Why was a street vendor talking to his phone instead of just making fuchka. Some laughed, and others left harsh comments. I kept ignoring them, because I knew they would not feed me if I skipped a meal.
Setting up his wooden table-shaped mobile stall, his hands move swiftly, filling hollow shells with spiced potatoes, pouring tangy water, and serving eager customers. But unlike other vendors, he pauses now and then, speaking into his phone camera, with an animated voice and theatrical expressions.
Known as 'Humour with Sultan,' he is active on all the major social platforms. He has gained more than 100,000 subscribers on YouTube, 70,000 followers on TikTok, 62,000 on Facebook and another 20,000 on Instagram.
On YouTube, his videos have got over 50 million views cumulatively, while on TikTok, the number is more than a staggering 80 million!
"In the beginning, customers were puzzled. Why was a street vendor talking to his phone instead of just making fuchka?" he said, sharing the initial phase of his journey.
"Some laughed, some ignored me, and others left harsh comments. I kept ignoring them, because I knew they would not feed me if I skipped a meal," Sultan continues.
The internet took notice of his efforts.
Encouraged by the response from the viewers, he experimented with English videos, hoping to reach a broader audience. "However, I soon realised that my Bangla content resonated more with the audience. It felt natural. It felt like home," he said.
Sultan's fame has extended beyond the streets of Dhaka, and it is limited to likes and shares on social media. Corporate clients invite him to cater events, both indoor and outdoor. What began as a small fuchka stall has evolved into a brand.
His warm and approachable personality has helped him build valuable connections — some of them are just admirers, and others are loyal customers.
"It feels great when people living in other countries watch my videos, and order fuchka for their loved ones here in Bangladesh," Sultan said.
"I remember at midnight when a customer called me to help make amends with his wife. I went there, served them fuchka, and her resentment faded. In the end, both of them thanked me," he added.
Sultan has some 'high profile' clients as well, as he continues, "I was invited to cater at a corporate event for a multinational company. When I was trying to enter the building, the security in charge tried to stop me, thinking I was bluffing. But when the country director of the company came and hugged me, the security in charge was just baffled."
Selling fuchka brings Sultan over a lakh taka per month. "I can earn even twice the amount if I invest more time, but I prefer not to," he said. His content creation adds another Tk40,000 to Tk50,000 per month. His income not only supports him but also his family back in Habiganj.
Due to his popularity on social media, he has gained some brand deals with some renowned brands as well. In one video, Sultan is seen promoting an Oppo smartphone, while in others, he has endorsed brands like Grameenphone, bKash, and Taptap Send. These sponsorships add an extra stream of income to his already thriving earnings.
Sultan was invited to a prestigious TikTok creators' event, where influencers from various fields gathered to network.
To continue his content creation smoothly, he has bought the latest iPhone, the 16 Pro Max. "The best part is that at 10 PM, I felt like buying an iPhone — and I got the latest one right away, with my own hard-earned money," he said in a video.
Sultan's journey might seem like a smooth sail, but it is not. Most days, he has to walk a long distance and climb stairs to deliver his fuchka to his customers.
In case anyone from his audience wants to dive into anything like he did, he emphasises working hard and being honest. "To achieve success, you must work hard and treat every task with importance, no matter how small," he said in another video.
