Goat rearing makes Selina solvent

Selina Akter, 35, and her husband Khorshed Alam, 45, from Sreemangal upazila in Moulvibazar, moved to Chattogram's Bayezid Bostami area in 2008 and opened a roadside tea stall.

Khorshed later began working at a local factory, while Selina continued running the stall.

However, the pandemic forced them into financial hardship. Selina had to close her shop in 2020 due to the lockdown, and her husband faced unemployment as the factory shut down.

The couple struggled to make ends meet, often unable to provide more than two meals a day for their daughter.

During this difficult period, Selina began rearing goats on the roadside near Tara Gate.

This venture gradually brought them out of poverty. When visited recently, Selina was found feeding her goats, while Khorshed cleaned their shed, built on roadside Khas land.

Selina started with a single goat, bought with Tk 9,000 saved from her tea stall earnings.

Six months later, it gave birth to two kids. She then took a Tk 2 lakh loan from a neighbour to purchase more goats, including Totapuri and Haryana breeds.

Now, after repaying the loan, they have 22 goats worth Tk 11 lakh. The couple works together to care for the animals, earning enough to cover their expenses and send their daughter to school.

Rearing goats in the city has not been easy. The couple travels to neighbouring upazilas to collect feed, as grass and leaves are scarce in the city. There is also the risk of the goats being hit by vehicles. One goat, injured by an auto-rickshaw, cost them Tk 6,000 to treat, she said.

Locals praise their hard work, saying they have become an inspiration to others in the area.

Selina said, "People often seek my advice on goat rearing, which I happily offer  based on my experiences so that they too can become solvent."