Provide IT freelancers loans, bank cards
Bangladesh Lender yesterday asked banks to supply loans and bank cards to freelancers centered on information technology to market such self-employed professionals who actually aren't necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term.
Freelancers bearing a good virtual identity card issued by the information and interaction technology (ICT) division might qualify for the facilities found in tandem, according to a central bank notice.
There remain 6.50 lakh IT freelancers collectively earning practically $200 million each year, based on the Bangladesh Association of Software
and Information Solutions (BASIS), a national trade human body for the software and IT-enabled service industry.
Foreign currency earnings by IT freelancers have been increasing recently, making a substantial contribution to the national economy, reported the notice.
The federal government has taken several initiatives towards growing recruiting, creating entrepreneurs, making employment and boosting investment in the freelancing sector so that you can turn Bangladesh into a developed nation by 2041.
Within the move, the government has recently started providing the digital ID cards.
The sector will be able to make appropriate progress if the freelancers get loans and credit cards from banks, said the central bank.
BASIS President Syed Almas Kabir welcomed the approach, saying it could help noticeably raise the freelancing sector.
"We have long been requesting the government to allow freelancers to enjoy loans. And the central lender has finally considered the time-befitting decision," he said.
He, however, raised queries over the categorisation of such loans.
The loans directed at IT freelancers is highly recommended small and medium enterprise (SME) loans, not unsecured loans, he said.
If required, the foundation provides all-out support to banking institutions to this end, Kabir said.
