Want to know challenges faced by our Bangladeshi freelancers

[minitt]

This is an attempt to recognize current challenges that restricts Bangladeshi freelancers in different part of the world.

Such as getting payment, communication, discrepancy in deliverable.Please be as descriptive as possible.

I have come across few groups in Canada and hoping to make a channel/platform that may facilitate/overcome these challenges.

If you know someone who might be benefited from this, please feel free to invite them as well.

[-RAKIB-]

I will try to make a shortlist from my experience.
1. Payment, more specifically the lack of PayPal is a big issue, Getting and making payments without PayPal is like a nightmare. Some of the marketplaces support Payoneer (which is not easy to get now, thanks to the spammers!) and local bank transfer but if we want to work on certain websites or with individual clients, they just propose one option (PayPal!).
2. Reputation is a big issue now a days because we think freelancing is easy and does not require enough skills to earn money, so people are spamming in marketplaces without having enough skills for their tasks. That's why clients feel insecure to invest their time and money to the freelancers of our country.
3. Communication could be an issue for the new freelancers as they don't know how to interact with international clients to win jobs or understanding the client's criteria.

[minitt]

I will try to make a shortlist from my experience.
1. Payment, more specifically the lack of PayPal is a big issue, Getting and making payments without PayPal is like a nightmare. Some of the marketplaces support Payoneer (which is not easy to get now, thanks to the spammers!) and local bank transfer but if we want to work on certain websites or with individual clients, they just propose one option (PayPal!).
2. Reputation is a big issue now a days because we think freelancing is easy and does not require enough skills to earn money, so people are spamming in marketplaces without having enough skills for their tasks. That's why clients feel insecure to invest their time and money to the freelancers of our country.
3. Communication could be an issue for the new freelancers as they don't know how to interact with international clients to win jobs or understanding the client's criteria.

1. I am currently considering the feasibility of making the payment process as painless as possible.
Hypothetically speaking, So if you do have a paypal account,

-Can you cash out in BDT without the risk of getting scammed?
-How much do you loose in terms of processing fee?
-What are the major sites exclusively require paypal ?


2. Is there any/somewhat established local platform/forums that enlist skilled local freelancers ?

[Swapnil]

I know someone who can't get married, because his would be father-in-law won't accept someone who doesn't have a job. He earns more than 2 lakh bdt per month.

[-RAKIB-]

1. I am currently considering the feasibility of making the payment process as painless as possible.
Hypothetically speaking, So if you do have a paypal account,

-Can you cash out in BDT without the risk of getting scammed?
-How much do you loose in terms of processing fee?
-What are the major sites exclusively require paypal ?


2. Is there any/somewhat established local platform/forums that enlist skilled local freelancers ?

1.
-I can get scammed in literally anywhere, but freelancers of our country are already using Payoneer and they usually face less trouble while they cash out from Payoneer. And I assume PayPal is more/less similar.
-I believe processing fee may vary depending on the site/platform, as for me, withdrawal to Payoneer Prepaid card costs me 2 USD per transaction which takes 2 days (+2.5 USD extra if emergency load which takes 2 hours). For PayPal, it's 1 USD on standard withdrawal.
-I don't have a particular list but may you include any website/platform that does not support prepaid MasterCard like Payoneer (Which is my only option to pay online where it's supported).
For example, Upwrok.com does support Payoneer as a withdrawal card, but you can't pay freelancers using it.
2. Sorry, I don't know about any website that includes skilled freelancers only, but you may find some freelancers in this facebook group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/odeskbangladesh2008/

[Ahnaf_i7X]

I know someone who can't get married, because his would be father-in-law won't accept someone who doesn't have a job. He earns more than 2 lakh bdt per month.

weird in-law, as long as the cash flow is consistent i dont see a problem there

[TRazerK]

weird in-law, as long as the cash flow is consistent i dont see a problem there

That's not even the worst. There are in-laws who even demand that the guy must have a master's degree (preferably from abroad)

[minitt]

That's not even the worst. There are in-laws who even demand that the guy must have a master's degree (preferably from abroad)

i can see the struggle on that side but lets not deviate too much from the topic. tia

[Franklin]

1. No PayPal
2. No PayPal
3. No PayPal

I think I lost like 5 figure sum of income, mostly because a lot of people do not want to deal with me for not having PayPal. I am creating an eCommerce website with G2A as the payment gateway. Hopefully, it will solve a lot of issues.

[minitt]

1. No PayPal
2. No PayPal
3. No PayPal

I think I lost like 5 figure sum of income, mostly because a lot of people do not want to deal with me for not having PayPal. I am creating an eCommerce website with G2A as the payment gateway. Hopefully, it will solve a lot of issues.

I was able to help quite a few freelancers to receive funds at my paypal and cash out in BDT. Have been doing it for quite some time.

Btw do you know of any local private companies who employs or has access to skilled local freelancers ?

[SoMoN.Khan]

I work for a Swiss company, and they sent me my salary directly to bank and for first few month i just submit invoice and bank deposit to my account.

I don't do freelancing , but if party sent money to ur account directly then, i don't see any problem.No extra charge cut as it is considered as outsourcing.

[Badhon_raj]

I get my payments through payoneer -> bank withdraw. very small transaction fee ($2-$3) and very good conversion rate.
No problem here.

[Franklin]

I was able to help quite a few freelancers to receive funds at my paypal and cash out in BDT. Have been doing it for quite some time.

Btw do you know of any local private companies who employs or has access to skilled local freelancers ?

Yes, there are some pretty established institutions around central Dhaka. They hire skilled freelancers and let them work on their behalf. I will PM you some facebook links soon. Do not remember the names now.