At times it can be pretty difficult to find a solution to a problem that you are in. For some people this is some sort of blessing because it leads them to create the solution. For entrepreneurs this is a very common scenario. Many of today’s big businesses started because someone could not find a personal computer or an instant camera to take photos and print it or find a place to hold a meeting that was important and long. Every solution that we have now, that we take for granted, is a result of a problem that someone cared for and worked hard to find a solution.
Finding office, especially if you are a small startup or a freelancer, is expensive in Dhaka. It is hard too because you might find an office but the chances are you would not be able to find amenities that you need i.e. internet, coffee and all.
The number of startups is in the rise in Bangladesh in recent times and we already have a big pool of freelancers who mostly work from home due to lack of suitable work space. Given these facts, it is apparent that we need [and will need] space for these people where they can work and also maximize their productivity.
Coworking could be a solution to this problem since it lets people to work in a shared space and share common resources and also offers customize service to its members. But Coworking is a nascent idea in Bangladesh and we don’t have many of these spaces. Hubdhaka is the first full-fledged coworking space in Dhaka and it is doing pretty well.
Finding office, especially if you are a small startup or a freelancer, is expensive in Dhaka. It is hard too because you might find an office but the chance is you would not be able to find amenities that you need like, internet, coffee and all.
[su_note note_color="#f9fafd" text_color="#4e8df6" radius="16"]As part of our exploration to understand big and game changing ideas we spoke to hubdhaka founder Sajid Islam, team hubdhaka, and visited the place, to learn more about hubdhaka as a coworking space. This four part series is our attempt to look into hubdhaka as a coworking space and explore what hubdhaka aspires to become in the coming days.[/su_note]
Hubdhaka is a coworking space that offers shared office space and amenities to startups, freelancers, and independent professionals. Started back in 2014 the space aims to change the way startups, freelancer and independent professionals work in Bangladesh. Located in Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh hubdhaka offers space for individuals, small teams with modern amenities like wifi, dedicated space, air conditioned office, and most importantly ready office space for people who can’t afford lavish office or don’t want to spend huge money on an office. It offers a range of monthly, daily, and weekly packages to choose from.
Hubdhaka is a coworking space that offers shared office space and amenities to startups, freelancers, and independent professionals. Started back in 2014 the space aims to change the way startups, freelancer and independent professionals work in Bangladesh.
Sajid Islam, Founder of hubdhaka has been living in US for 18 years before deciding to start something in Bangladesh. In May 2013 Sajid Islam came to Dhaka to organize a pitching contest called ‘Pitch To Win’. It was a startup pitching contest, Sajid started with a vision to turn it into an accelerator program. Back then Sajid had no office space. Once he came to Bangladesh he used to sit in coffee shops and food courts for meeting with his team. “It was near impossible to find a place in Dhaka where you can go and do a team meeting, said Sajid, I had to use coffee shops and restaurants for meeting. But often times these places don’t let you sit and talk once you are done with eating food. It was a huge problem”.
That’s when Sajid felt the need for a Coworking space in Dhaka. “I had used coworking space in many places. Especially in the USA it is prevalent, said Sajid, but in Dhaka back in 2013 there was not a single coworking space although Bangladesh is one of the largest freelancers’ destinations. That’s when I thought Bangladesh needs a coworking space”.
[blockquote source="Sajid Islam"]It was near impossible to find a place in Dhaka where you can go and do a team meeting, said Sajid, I had to use coffee shops and restaurants for meeting. But often times these places don’t let you sit and talk once you are done with eating food. It was a huge problem[/blockquote]
The idea of coworking is new in Bangladesh. Many people are not familiar with the idea of coworking yet. It will take few more years to understand and popularize the concept but there will never come a perfect time than now to start and use a coworking space in Dhaka.
In Bangladesh, we have a large pool of freelancers, independent professionals and now growing number of startups. While many of these people can’t afford a traditional lavish office, they need office spaces to deliver at their best. Coworking space is the answer to fulfill this need.
As I wrote earlier, coworking is more than sharing a common space. It is about sharing network, making connections, exchanging ideas, and sharing resources. It gives small startups, freelancers, independent professionals opportunity to work in an environment that heightens their productivity, gives them chances to interact with likeminded people from diverse fields and exchange ideas. Working alone from home and working from a place where we feel elevated and get less distracted make a huge difference in our productivity. It helps us to accomplish more and get more things done.
In Bangladesh, we have a large pool of freelancers, independent professionals and now growing number of startups. While many of these people can’t afford a traditional lavish office, they need office spaces to deliver at their best. Coworking space is the answer to fulfill this need.
