From a Six-Cow Farm to Many Ventures: Lalpur Entrepreneur Raihan Wins National Youth Award

Md Abdul Motalleb Raihan, a young entrepreneur from Lalpur upazila in Natore, has won the National Youth Award 2026. He secured second place nationwide in the successful self-employment category, in recognition of his special contribution to creating self-employment and developing the youth community.

The award was handed to him on Sunday, November 1, at a ceremony held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital, organised on the occasion of National Youth Day 2026.

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir attended the ceremony, organised by the Department of Youth Development under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as chief guest. State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque chaired the event.

Raihan, a resident of Ramkrishnapur village in Lalpur, began his entrepreneurial journey in 2014 after taking training at a youth development training centre, starting a farm with only six cows. Gradually he built several ventures across agriculture, fisheries, information technology, healthcare, banking and transport.

In the fisheries sector, he founded 'Sonar Bangla Matsya Arat' to solve local farmers' problem of selling fish. He also grows pesticide-free fruit organically in a mixed orchard and produces tricho compost and vermi compost through his 'Ashar Alo Organic Fertiliser Factory'. The organic fertiliser he produces is also used in growing vegetables and fruit at the Green City of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. The factory has created employment for around 30 people.

To build young people's skills and create employment in information technology, he co-founded 'Lead Topper' and 'Holitech IT'. Around 300 young people have received training from the two institutions and found opportunities to earn. At present about 50 people work there and another 100 are receiving training.

Raihan also helped install 24 deep tube wells in Lalpur through contact and initiative with the Barendra Development Authority, to ease farmers' irrigation crisis. To ensure healthcare for local people, he founded 'Doctors Point and Diabetic Centre', which has created employment for around 20 people.

In addition, he set up two Islami Bank agent branches, at Gopalpur and Abdulpur, to take banking services to remote areas. Fourteen people work at the two branches, which opened in 2020 and 2021. He also provides goods transport for traders through the Lalpur office of Janata Transport Agency and courier services through PSP Express Private Limited.

Alongside business, Raihan also works to protect the environment. He is the coordinator of the Green Lalpur project, an adviser to the Lalpur upazila unit of Green Voice, and president of the Lalpur upazila committee of the Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA). Under these organisations, thousands of fruit and forest saplings are planted and distributed every year at various educational institutions.

During the Covid pandemic in 2020, he distributed masks, raised public awareness and delivered food aid to the homes of helpless and infected people, with support from the Prakriti Foundation. In recognition of his humanitarian work, he has also received honours from the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police.

He has contributed to education as well. He stood beside several meritorious students — including Marina, Fatema, Sanjida and Prarthana — whose higher education had become uncertain due to financial hardship. In addition, 'Alor Darja Shishu Bidya Niketan' is being run under his chairmanship, with the support of the Prakriti Foundation, in a remote Padma char area of Lalpur.

Local conscious circles and well-wishers in Lalpur congratulated him on this national-level recognition of securing second place. They hope Raihan's achievement will inspire the new generation to come forward in self-employment and entrepreneurship, as well as in the development of society.