Micro-entrepreneurs, freelancers incur $34.5m loss 

TDS Desk:

The prolonged internet blackout has dealt a heavy blow to the country’s growing digital economy with f-commerce entrepreneurs and freelancers bearing the brunt of the disruption.

According to insiders, f-commerce entrepreneurs suffered US$31.77 million loss and freelancers $2.74 million in the last five days due to the internet outage.

Thousands of individuals rely on online platforms to earn their livelihoods.

However, they have been unable to do business since the internet outage hit the country on 18 July.

Even though broadband internet service has been restored in the country, access to social media platforms like Facebook, the f-commerce tool, remained restricted. Besides, it will take 4-5 days to get back mobile internet, according to a state minister.

Amid such a situation, over half a million f-commerce entrepreneurs across the country are struggling to regain the trust of customers and survive.

“Most micro-entrepreneurs depend on Facebook to do business. On average, the earnings of an entrepreneur are around Tk1,500 per day. They do essential shopping from their earnings. The entrepreneurs are facing setbacks amid the internet blackout,” Nasima Aktar Nisha, founder and president of Women and e-Commerce (WE), told this correspondent.

She claimed that online entrepreneurs are having patience over the internet blackout as they want a peaceful environment first.

Besides, one million freelancers in the country were the worst victims of the internet blackout for the last five days.

Bangladesh Freelancing Development Society (BFDS) has been working as a network and capacity-building platform for freelancers across the country.

“Freelancers are the worst victims of any internet blackout. Their profiles become downgraded with negative reviews from the hiring side. A freelancer has to take a minimum of one year to restore the personal reputation,” BFDS Chairman Tanjiba Rahman told this correspondent, sharing the suffering of the country’s online workforce.

She said freelancers earn around $200 million annually.

Bangladesh has recently been ranked 29th out of 30 countries for hiring freelancers in the assessment of American CEO World Magazine.

The country, once a top-listed outsourcing destination, has failed to secure a place among the top 25 countries for freelancing and online outsourcing. For the internet blackout without any prior notice, the country’s image was significantly damaged.

BFDS chief Tanjiba thinks Bangladesh maintains a competitive market practice with freelancers from India, Pakistan and Finland to bid on tasks from foreign buyers.

“The authorities should provide notice before limiting the internet access. The freelancers lost communications with the service recipients abroad. This will not bring a better outcome for the knowledge economy,” Tanjiba, also managing director at Joy Computers, said.