A quiet road over the Baor Bridge in Shibchar’s South Krokchar area of Madaripur has become an unlikely afternoon destination, thanks to a small tea cottage that has gone viral on social media.
Surrounded by water bodies covered with water-lilies and aquatic plants during the monsoon, the area offers a peaceful rural setting that draws hundreds of visitors each day. Migratory birds occasionally land on the waters, while in winter, the receding water reveals fields where mustard and other crops are cultivated, keeping the landscape lively throughout the year.
The transformation began when four local college students—Salahuddin, Deen Islam, Rahat and Shakil—who regularly spent their afternoons chatting on the bridge near their homes, decided to turn their leisure time into an enterprise. Inspired by a YouTube video featuring a tea stall in a remote village, they discussed the idea and built two small adjoining shop structures with their own hands, investing an initial Tk50,000.
They named the establishment ‘Chayer Kutir’ (Tea Cottage) and began sharing photographs and promotional videos of the construction process on social media platforms.
Following its official opening on 6 September, public interest grew rapidly. Offering red tea, milk tea, malai tea and burnt bread, the stall soon became a social media sensation. Just one month after opening, the venture operates every day from the afternoon until 8pm, with monthly tea sales reaching between Tk1 lakh and Tk1.5 lakh.
“We could not have imagined that our sales would reach such levels,” said co-entrepreneur Md Salahuddin Howlader. “We sell tea and bread worth Tk10,000 to Tk15,000 every day, using 30 to 35 kilograms of milk daily. Although we started with just two shops, there are now five stalls operating here.”
The growing influx of visitors from near and far has created long queues at the tea cottage, with families, friends and young couples gathering there every afternoon. As the crowd grew, stalls selling chotpoti and fuchka also appeared, along with a swing for visitors.
Among those drawn to the spot is Md Sobuj, a Saudi expatriate from Shariatpur, who discovered the location on TikTok.
“After returning home, I came here, and the taste of the tea is genuinely good,” he said. “What I like most is the natural environment; spending time and sipping tea in such a rural setting feels wonderful.”
Local visitor Sonia Akhtar said the venue had gone viral on social media, with visitors taking photographs and recording videos while enjoying its signature malai tea and burnt bread.
Another visitor, Ishrat Jahan, said she had to wait in line for half an hour because of the heavy crowd.
Local teacher Saidur Rahman praised the initiative, saying travel enthusiasts had discovered a new sightseeing destination.
“Hundreds of people arrive every afternoon to drink tea,” he observed. “The tea is quite good, and the combination of tea and natural beauty mesmerises anyone who comes.”
Reflecting on their journey, entrepreneur Deen Islam said taking up an innovative idea during spare afternoon hours was far better than remaining unemployed.
“Our village’s name is now on everyone’s lips,” he remarked.
He also revealed that they have leased surrounding land to cultivate sunflowers when the water dries up in winter, with the aim of keeping the area attractive to visitors throughout the year.
The venture launched by the four young students in this remote village of Shibchar shows how willpower, proper planning and a willingness to work can turn modest capital into a thriving business, while inspiring other local youths to explore entrepreneurship.
