A short story cannot hold 15 characters. Stick to 3-4 core people. The protagonist, the antagonist, and one catalyst.
The literary tradition of Bengali short stories is rich, moving from the romanticism of Rabindranath Tagore to the gritty realism of Manik Bandopadhyay.
Independent writers can publish directly to blogs without traditional gatekeepers. Why "New Choti Golpo" Dominates Search Trends