DHAKA: On the second day of BASIS Soft Expo-2018, a seminar titled ‘Freelancer Conference’ was held at the celebrity hall of Bangabandhu International Conference Center in Dhaka on Friday afternoon (3:00-5:00pm). BASIS director Delwar Hossain Faruk moderated the seminar where a lot of young freelancers in the country took part.

While giving a speech at the seminar, BASIS president Syed Almas Kabir said any freelancer can be a BASIS member on conditional terms. If profit gaining can be institutionalized then it will contribute to the development of ICT industry. The government is providing different types of trainings to freshmen. Banks are also working in this sector to create market. BASIS has personal training centers for interested individuals. Freelancers can get training based on their proffered subjects.

Soft Expo convener and BASIS director Mostafizur Rahman Sohel said many people think that freelancers are not professionals and they suffer from identity crisis. But I would argue that freelancers are VIPs because everyone is talking about them. However, freelancers must do better because now there is a lot of opportunity for work. They must take advantage of the situation. 

Bank Asia managing director and CEO Mohammad Arfan Ali said Bank Asia is working to provide opportunity for freelancers. Bank Asia and BASIS have jointly launched a co-branded prepaid card named ‘Swadhin’ to encourage them more. Using this card, freelancers will be able to complete financial transaction with foreign countries easily. 

BASIS President Syed Almas Kabir, Director and Soft Expo Convener Mostafizur Rahman Sohel, Director Delwar Hossain Faruk, Bank Asia President and Managing Director Mohammad Arfan Ali, Bank Asia Head of Retail Ariful Islam Chowdhury, Google Local Guides Community Moderator Sumaiya Jafrin Chowdhury, Blancer founder Shafiul Alam, Bakyo general secretary Touhidul Islam, Payoneer manager Shoeb Mahmud and freelancer Didarul Islam Sunny gave speech at the seminar.

BDST: 2042 HRS, FEB 23, 2018
AP/SMS