Carrying Bangladesh’s Heritage to Russia: Rikta Moni’s Success Story on the International Stage

Printed On: Oct 7, 2026 || Published On: Oct 7, 2026

Carrying Bangladesh’s Heritage to Russia: Rikta Moni’s Success Story on the International Stage

Many dream of representing their country on an international stage. Young entrepreneur, however, Rikta Moni has turned that dream into reality by proudly flying Bangladesh’s red-and-green flag in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Participating in the Art.Molodost International Design & Merch Market, organised as part of the World Youth Festival 2026, she attracted international visitors with her locally made and eco-friendly products. For the first time at an international event, Rikta participated with her online and offline brand, Alponique Fashion. Alongside her business success, her greatest achievement was introducing Bangladesh’s heritage, culture and locally made products to people from different parts of the world.

Interviewed by: Sakibul Hossain

Big Dreams on a Small Table:

The international market was held from September 13 to 16 at the ‘Middle East’ Courtyard in the residential area of the festival. Due to the large number of participants, the organisers allowed the stalls to be operated on a shift basis. Rikta Moni’s assigned day was September 16.

She arrived at her stall at 8:30 a.m. The organisers provided her with only a 1.7 × 0.4 metre table, a clothing rack, and a table sign for displaying the brand and country name.

The space was small, but the dream was much bigger. The small signboard proudly displayed the name ‘Alponique Fashion’, while the red-and-green flag of her beloved homeland, Bangladesh, stood behind it. Within that small space, Rikta arranged her collection of Bangladeshi products.

The Story of Bangladesh Through Jute, Bamboo, Cane and Handmade Jewellery:

As this was Rikta’s first participation in an international event, she did not take the risk of making a large investment at the beginning. Instead, trusting her ideas and the quality of her products, she brought a limited selection of locally made and eco-friendly products.

One of the main attractions at her stall was traditional bags made of jute. Their sustainable materials and aesthetic designs particularly caught the attention of international visitors.

There were also handmade jewellery and bangles, featuring elements of Bangladeshi culture and craftsmanship. The bangles, in particular, received remarkable attention from foreign buyers.

Rikta had brought some bangles in relatively small sizes. However, the foreign customers liked them so much that they bought all of them despite their small sizes—some not for wearing, but to keep them as decorative pieces. The stall also featured jewellery boxes made of bamboo and cane, decorative showpieces and souvenir pins. The fine craftsmanship and local designs easily attracted international visitors. The result came quickly. Almost all of the products brought in limited quantities were sold out on the very first day of the fair. The remaining one or two items were also completely sold by the following evening.

‘Where Are You From?’—The Answer Was ‘Bangladesh’:

One of the most memorable moments of the international event was a simple question repeatedly asked by foreign visitors—“Where are you from?” Each time, Rikta answered with a smile and pride—“Bangladesh.” For her, those moments of saying the name of her country amid thousands of people were deeply emotional. Because there, she was not only representing her own brand; she was also carrying the identity of Bangladesh with her. For Rikta Moni, being able to represent her country on an international stage was her greatest achievement. She considered the interest of foreign people in seeing Bangladeshi products, learning about them and purchasing them to be a major accomplishment.

Recognition from Russian House:

Travelling alone from Bangladesh and running a stall at an international event in a country like Russia was not easy. Adapting to a new environment, a new culture, a different language and completely unfamiliar customers was a challenge from the very beginning. However, Rikta turned those challenges into courage.

When the story of her participation in the international market on her own was featured on the official Russian House Facebook page, her confidence and enthusiasm for her work increased even further. She then made a personal commitment to sell all the products she had brought with her. In the end, she successfully achieved that goal. By selling almost all the products at her stall, she turned her first international experience into a successful one.

Interest from a Foreign Journalist:

Rikta’s initiative and the interest of foreign visitors in her locally made products did not go unnoticed by the international media either.

A foreign journalist visited her stall. The journalist spoke with Rikta and showed interest in learning about her initiative and products. The journalist also recorded videos and took photographs. The story of a Bangladeshi young entrepreneur participating alone on an international stage and receiving a positive response for her locally made products attracted the journalist’s attention. For Rikta, this was also a unique form of recognition—a real-life example that the story of a small Bangladeshi entrepreneur could generate interest on an international platform.

More Than Sales, It Was a Major Learning Experience:

Participating in the event added many new lessons to Rikta’s experience. Setting the prices of her products according to her own choice, conducting transactions in foreign currency, negotiating with customers, communicating with people from different cultures and running a business in a completely new environment—all of these made the experience an important chapter in her entrepreneurial journey. Her experience of participating independently in an international fair for the first time, recovering her investment and making a profit also increased her confidence significantly. Rikta believes that if one moves forward with the right goal through honest and halal means and remains sincere in their work, Allah’s help can always be found.

An Inspiration for Bangladeshi Women Entrepreneurs:

Rikta Moni’s story is not merely the story of a young entrepreneur entering the international market. It is a story of the courage, confidence and determination of a Bangladeshi woman to present her country’s identity on the world stage. A small table on Russian soil, a few Bangladeshi products and the red-and-green flag flying behind her—this small arrangement seemed to carry the identity of Bangladesh on a much larger scale. For young entrepreneurs dreaming of taking Bangladeshi products to international markets, Rikta’s journey can be an inspiration to move forward with courage. And for Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs, her experience seems to deliver a clear message—instead of waiting for opportunities, move forward with courage, because one day the world stage can become your own.