Bangladesh today launched its first government-run freelancer ID management software, aiming to establish a transparent, secure, and harassment-free verification system for the country’s growing freelance workforce.
With the new card, registered freelancers are expected to more easily access banking services, loans, credit cards, financial incentives, and government and private training programmes.
The software was inaugurated at the ICT Division’s conference room in Dhaka's Agargaon by Faiz Ahmed Taiyeb, special assistant to the chief adviser in charge of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology.
Speaking as chair of the event, Taiyeb said the entire system has been kept completely free, taking into account past complaints of harassment and financial fraud faced by freelancers.
“As part of this initiative, all kinds of fees, including application, renewal, and processing fees, have been abolished to eliminate financial transactions and associated harassment,” he said.
He added that 29 engineers from the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DoICT) will serve as a dedicated resource pool for ID verification, while four technical support experts will provide assistance to freelancers as a shared support team.
Taiyeb also said an API-based verification system will be introduced soon, adding that a two-layer API verification framework has already been agreed upon with the freelancer community.
According to him, the platform’s Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) has been successfully completed, and freelancers can start signing up and applying for digital IDs from today.
To improve user experience for a large number of freelancers, community leaders and the Bangladesh Call Center Association will jointly work on further enhancements to the system, he said.
The ICT Division will also send a formal letter to Bangladesh Bank requesting banks and financial institutions to accept the digital freelancer ID instead of manual verification in the future.
Taiyeb noted that previous contracts related to freelancer ID services were cancelled following allegations of fraud and harassment.
He said freelancer community leaders have positively accepted a $50 annual margin under recognised payment methods. The engineers who developed the software at the ICT Division will also be responsible for its maintenance.
The platform will also function as a national freelancer database, storing information on the number of freelancers, their skills, and areas of work—data that will support future policymaking.
When asked about steps regarding freelancers who were previously defrauded after paying money, DoICT Director General Md Abu Sayed said action would be taken under existing laws if formal complaints are filed.
Following the inauguration, the application of a freelancer present at the event was approved, and a freelancer ID card was issued on the spot.
The stakeholder meeting was attended by ICT Division Additional Secretary Md Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan, representatives from the freelancer community, mobile financial services, and Bangladesh Bank.
