12-12-2013:The Financial Express: Young freelancers are increasingly getting software and IT-enabled services orders as global firms reach out to countries like Bangladesh seeking cheaper solutions, insiders have said.The internet-based outsourcing is going on from every corner of the country as the developers are getting work orders over online.More than 40,000 freelance software developers are estimated to have earned $35 million and the outsourcing may exceed $70 million at the end of this year.The increased bandwidth and transmission speed is also helping the freelance entrepreneurs to get foreign jobs and they are doing the jobs in time, an official in the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (Basis) said.
He said, "As there is no particular book for keeping records of the outsourcing income so we can not say the actual income figure."He said on an average, every developer earns $500 per month and the figure is increasing along with the numbers of software developers.A freelance software engineer, who works for several world-renowned firms, said timely delivery is key to getting outsourcing jobs. "If we can meet deadline and provide quality services to the clients, then we can sustain our work orders", he said.Development of software, animation, cartoon, games, management, telecommunication software solutions and other IT-enabled services are being done by the local outsourcing developers, another official at the Basis said.Nazrul Islam Khan, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communication technology (MoICT) said, "We've taken many steps to support the freelance software developers who outsource jobs."He said as the volume of work doubles every year, there is a possibility for the IT educated young generation to earn money for the country and develop their skills set.Mr. Khan said with support of different international development agencies the government has set up training facilities for the freelance outsource developers and is providing them certificates.The government is also trying to create opportunities for access to finance for the freelance developers that they find more jobs with increased strength and capabilities.Basis the only registered software developing firms' organisation is also supporting the freelancers with training and other facilities.A Basis official said, "We are supporting the freelance outsource software developers in many ways."He said the Basis is giving award to the district-level best outsourcing developers across the country.Bangladesh ranks third in freelance outsourcing in the world, according to oDesk, an outsourcing job portal.He said Bangladesh's outsourcing developers are earning goodwill in the world for their quality jobs and timely delivery.
