Streets Vloggers of Bangladesh
By Tanishaa Arman
“What kind of English is this?”
“Anyone with a smartphone can be a vlogger these days! LOL!”
“Even a rickshaw puller will start vlogging now!”
“People will do anything for money and fame.” Do these harsh comments look familiar to you?
The vastness of the internet has given us access to various kinds of content whether it be photos, audio, video, write-ups, and many other types of materials that we scroll through every day and night.
Whether it be fashion, food, entertainment, or technology, information is just one click away, and so is public opinion. What started out as a fun activity for two aspiring vloggers was considered cringe by hundreds if not thousands. Surprisingly, their work has now turned out to be a phenomenon across the country. Even when their own friends and family were initially not impressed by their vlogging activities, these two young men grew a thick skin, remained persistent, and kept uploading.
Beating all odds, meet Tipu Sultan, the famous fuchkawala (fuchka seller) and Hasan Ahmed, the popular CNG driver. Many people may wonder: why on Earth would anyone be interested to see the daily lives of these two guys in their 20s navigating their lives hustling on the streets? If you look closely, their lives are anything but mundane. Once anyone visits their social media platform, they will be hooked on the unconventional simplicity of these young men.
Both these vloggers started making videos of their daily lives out of passion. Their online journey started in 2024, with bits and pieces of their simple lives, their income, and their bittersweet moments. “I faced online bullying a lot for my broken English, unique appearance, but I also received many nice comments which motivated me to keep going. One night, I posted a video at 2am and when I woke up in the morning, I saw my video became viral!” shares a shocked Sultan, who has completed his HSC from Habiganj, works 10 to 12 hours a day making and selling fuchka mostly in Puran Dhaka, and then edits videos at late night.
Unlike Sultan, Hasan’s online presence grew slowly. A college dropout from Moulvibazar due to financial issues, Hasan started driving CNG when he faced a lack of job opportunities. He tried making videos for some extra income and to support his family. He was frequently trolled and often scolded by his family and relatives. “I was hesitant to record videos in public spaces because people would stare at me and make me feel unwanted. Don’t know if people realized how their mean comments can be hurtful. All I was trying to do was earn some extra cash and support my family since my father has retired,” said Hasan.
What their content offered was different – it was insights into the daily lives of people from lower-income backgrounds who were earning more than many job holders in the city. Their daily or weekly income would often amount to six digits, exceeding the monthly income of full time entry or mid-level educated corporate employees. After years of education and work qualification, it baffled and stunned many people how these two vloggers were earning quite an impressive amount in their profession that is often stereotypically deemed low by the judgmental society.
Within months, these resilient young men full of hope and their amicable personality captured everyone’s attention with their astounding progress. Not only did the quality of their videos improve in terms of content and editing, their standard of living improved as well. Their candidness about how much they earn, what they do with their income, how much they spend on their family, what amount they owe in debt is a kind of transparency we do not see in this society. They engaged thoughtfully with the community, answered many queries and gained thousands of fans and followers.
While Sultan had no expectation of being “Internet famous” or earning through his content, Hasan actively pursued engagement in all the platforms. Sultan shares about his fuchka runs, the private events and orders he caters, his visits to interesting places, and it is indeed heartwarming to see how people shower him with affection. Hasan shares about his daily commutes, how he paints and decorates his room, his purchases, and also shares motivational thoughts by sharing how he overcame his struggles.
It shows how their authenticity and unique point of view helped them gain followers, even if they still faced criticism. With dedication, their fresh perspective and creativity paid off. Bit by bit they started monetizing from their YouTube and Facebook platforms and in no time also started generating income through ads and sponsorships. Their ultimate milestone of success is after fulfilling their duties and covering expenses, it took both of them a few months to land their dream phone – the latest iPhone!
Their story is more than about Sultan and Hasan – it’s about how they inspire other young people in Bangladesh (and potentially elsewhere) to pursue their own creative paths, despite the challenges. We need more young talent like them, people who can blend creativity with a sprinkle of madness. In 2025, success looks different to young students and knowledgeable graduates – they have taken offbeat paths in terms of earning, whether it be through establishing food carts, online catering, selling merchandise, gaming, DJ-ing, racing, or painting other people’s dreams – the youth have realized there is definitely reward for creativity and the ability to turn adversity into opportunity.
The story of the street vloggers is a testament of how ordinary ideas can turn into extraordinary stories. It is time to support and celebrate unconventional talent, even when it’s not immediately understandable or popular. It is okay to provide constructive criticism but it is never acceptable to bully or harass anyone because you do not like it, whether it is online or offline.
Press unfollow or block them before spreading negativity. Ever wonder how many other potential success stories are being overlooked because they don’t fit mainstream ideas of success?
Sultan and Hasan are now local celebrities and often spotted by people who wish to greet or take photos with them, pouring the vloggers with love and support. Hasan (username Hasan Ahmed) has the metrics of YouTube 25k, Instagram 10.5k, Facebook 22k, and TikTok 603k (likes) and has been a brand ambassador for quite a few local brands and does paid promotions often. Sultan (username: humour_with_sultan), with a metric of Instagram 14.3k and Facebook 38k followers was invited to TikTok Creators Award hosted in Dhaka in December 2024, launched his website for fuchka catering and has collaborated with other mainstream content makers.
