The document summarizes the old book business in Nilkhet, Dhaka. It discusses how the business started with a few booksellers in the 1970s and has now grown significantly. It provides a SWOT analysis, noting strengths like its monopoly position and location advantage, but also weaknesses like variable prices and threats like potential copyright issues. The conclusion recommends the business improve its infrastructure to reduce threats and leverage its strengths like competitiveness to ensure ongoing success.

1. Faculty:SaimaHasin.
United International
university .
By Wahida Zahin.

2. Introduction
There are some popular business in Dhaka City ,selling
old books is one of them. Old books selling business is
most popular and profitable in Nilkhet.
Nilkhet serves as a multipurpose destination, where a
student from any campus of the country is likely to
find the basic necessities needed for school and
university. Starting from small items like stationery to
absolute essentials like books is available here.

3. Background
 Old book business in Nilkhet began
immediately after Independence, when four
young booksellers started selling second-hand
books and magazines on the pavement outside
the Balaka cinema hall.
 Within years, that small business has become
large profitable business.
 Because of its proximity to Dhaka University
and BUET as well as several Universities and
major colleges such as Dhaka College and
Eden College. The Nilkhet market has also
become a major source of academic material
for the city’s students.

4. Background
 The market has long been the center of the second-
hand book trade in Dhaka.
 It contains several dozen shops that deal in used books
and magazines, especially English-language material
published in the West.
 Foreign books, journals and comics that are either
unavailable elsewhere or only available new at a
prohibitive price.
 Ownership of shops that were once upon a time sold at
Tk 400,now advance of 10 lakhs needs to be given and
rent of Tk 30000 per month.

5. Textbooks of all levels (from primary to tertiary) and for all disciplines may be
purchased at Nilkhet. It is known to have the largest collection of books for
students belonging to almost all sections. Since, Bangladesh is a country
consisting of three separate education streams, namely, Bangla, English and
Madrasa medium, books for each category are required round the year. And
what better place to find them other than in Nilkhet, where there are different
'alleys' dedicated to different sections of education.
It also has many shops that provide auxiliary services for students, such as
photocopying, word-processing and book-binding. Indeed, “photocopying at
Nilkhet” is a common rite of passage for nearly all students.

6.  SWOT analysis is an analytical method
which is used to identify and categorize
significant internal (Strengths and
Weaknesses) and external (Opportunities
and Threats) factors faced either in a
particular arena, such as an organization, or
a territory, such as a region, nation, or city.
 It provides information that is helpful in
matching the firms' resources and
capabilities to the competitive environment
in which it operates and is therefore an
important contribution to the strategic
planning process.

7. Strength
1 Monopoly business ,Market leader.
2 No competitor exists.
3 Competence high.
4 Greater Customer base .
5 Location Advantage
6 Costs of running the business low.
7.Vertical integration,e.g.printing
and selling.
Weakness
1 Variable prices.
2 Customers have to bargain a lot.
3Original books are not available.
4 Low Quality Printed books.
5 Rent cost is high .
6 Unable to finance needed to improve the
market structure.
Opportunities
1Employment opportunity in book selling
business.
2Contribute income to the economy.
3 Adequate supply of books to the students.
4Students can exchange old books .
Threats
1Copyright and patented books are sold
illegally, which may be threat in the future if
company sue the traders.
2 Lack of space and congested area. If fire
lightens accidently then many books get
“SWOT ANALYSIS of Old Book Business of Nilkhet”

8. Findings
Everyday many students come to Nilkhet to get books,
handouts and notes to be photocopied, they cannot do without
Nilkhet.
The Nilkhet book market, being a cluster of shops, makes it
beneficial to the stores in a unique way. Often one shop owner
provides another shop keeper with a book he is looking for
according to the customer's demand.
A lot of books especially old ones are donated by students to the
shopkeepers or sold to them at very reasonable rates.
Recently the problem of frequent load shedding and his
incapacity to find alternative electricity supply has resulted in
loss.

9. Findings
 Most of the footpath sellers who vend books on the
pavements of Nilkhet seem to earn the most profit
since they do not really need much to set up their
stacks of books, and they usually sell pirated books of
low print quality, and are able to cater to the large
number of students who usually have limited cash in
their hands.
 There are also many shops that make fake certificates
and documents according to customers' instruction.
Although the entrepreneurs confirmed that such shops
exist, they deny knowing their exact location.
 The presence of vertical integration in the form of
countless printing, publishing and specialized book
binding houses significantly enhances the
sustainability of this book selling business.

10. Conclusion
However ,despite its popularity there are many threats and weakness that
owners of book shops should try to avoid ,especially issuing certificates ,selling
books illegally by avoiding patent and copyrights which may be a major
threat in the future.
They should try to improve the interior market place and improve the structure
to avoid accidents caused due to fire and reduce congestion.
They should match strengths and opportunities which they have especially
greater competitiveness and market base to become more successful in the
future and continue their business for the foreseeable future.
(Many information are collected from different online articles ).