Freelancers to get free ID cards from govt

The government will launch the National Freelancer Registration and ID Card Management Platform tomorrow, Tuesday, to institutionalise Bangladesh’s freelancing sector and fulfil a long-standing demand of freelancers.

By registering on this government-managed platform, freelancers across the country will be able to obtain ID cards free of cost.

To ensure security and technological capacity, the Information and Communication Technology Division and the Department of Information and Communication Technology have already completed a vulnerability assessment of the platform.

Through this new ID card, registered freelancers will be able to easily access various facilities, including banking services, loans and credit cards, financial incentives, and government and private training opportunities.

The platform will also function as a national database, storing information on the number of freelancers, their skills, and types of work, which will play a supportive role in policymaking.

Explaining the technical aspects and planning of the new platform, Faiz Ahmed Taiyab, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, told Prothom Alo on Monday afternoon that this will be a digital card, not a plastic one.

The card will be provided free of charge, while ICT Division engineers will develop and maintain the platform, and it will be connected with various ministries, he added.

Several fundamental changes have been introduced under this new system to reduce the long-standing difficulties faced by freelancers.

Speaking on the matter, Kazi Mamun, administrator of the Upwork Bangladesh Group, told Prothom Alo, “Previously, freelancer cards were issued through private organisations, which posed risks to data security. In addition, obtaining banking services involved significant hassles. Under the new platform, the ICT Division will issue the card, ensuring data security.”

Regarding the cost and eligibility for obtaining the freelancer ID card, Kazi Mamun added that earlier the card cost between Tk 1,500 and Tk 2,500, but now it will be provided completely free of charge.

“To encourage new freelancers, we have already recommended allowing applications from freelancers earning a minimum of USD 50 to USD 100. This will motivate new freelancers to bring their earnings into the country through legal channels,” he said.