After coming back to India, he joined the Presidency College as Assistant Professor. At the same time some people with lesser qualification and lesser ability were working at higher posts and drawing higher salaries. When Dr. Prafullachandra complained about this to then Director of Education Department, the British director satirically told him, “If you are such an able chemist then you should start some business”. He was so stirred by that satire that with a meager capital of Rs. 800 he started the Bengal Chemical & Pharmaceutical Works in 1892 to produce allopathic medicines. Today, that company has progressed into a billion rupees company and has catalysed many industries in the country.
