The rise of freelancing and it's impact in socio economic development of bangladesh, a sociological study

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The Rise of Freelancing and its Impact on the Socio-Economic
Development of Bangladesh: A Sociological Study
SUBMITTED BY:
Md Ashfak Sayed
ID: 14-1-20-0020
BATCH: 10th
FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED SOCIOLOGY
ASA UNIVERSITY BANGLADESH
SUBMISSION DATE: 31/08/2018

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DECLARATION
I do hereby declare that the research study entitled “The Rise of Freelancing and its Impact
on the Socio-Economic Development of Bangladesh: A Sociological Study” is submitted to
the faculty of Arts and Social Science, Department of Applied Sociology, ASA University
Bangladesh as the partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of BSS (Honors) in
Applied Sociology is exclusively my own and original work. No part of it, in any form has been
submitted to any University or institute for any degree, diploma or for other similar purposes.
……………………….
Student Name: Md Ashfak Sayed
Student ID: 14-1-20-0020
Batch: 10th
BSS (Honors) in Applied Sociology
ASA University Bangladesh
Date 31/08/2018

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CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that content of the research monograph entitled “The Rise of Freelancing and
its Impact on the Socio-Economic Development of Bangladesh: A Sociological Study”
prepared by Md Ashfak Sayed has been found satisfactory for submission to Arts and Social
Science, Department of Applied Sociology, ASA University Bangladesh as partial fulfillment of
the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Social Science (Honors) in sociology.
Supervisor
…………………………..
Rowshon Ara Romke
Senior Lecturer
Department of Applied Sociology
Date ………………………

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APPROVAL
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
We the member of the supervisory and examination committee have read and approved the
thesis titled “The Rise of Freelancing in the Socio-Economic Development of Bangladesh:
A Sociological Study”. The students have defended their thesis satisfactorily on the specified
topic.
The committee has recommended for acceptance of this thesis submitted by Md Ashfak Sayed
by the faculty of Arts and Social Science, Department of Applied Sociology, ASA University
Bangladesh.
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
Chairman (In-Charge)
Signature: ……………..
Full Name:
Member
Signature: ………………
Full Name: ………………
Member …………………
Signature: ……………..
Full Name: …………………
Date of approval: …………………………

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Tables ..................................................................................................................................1
List of Figures.................................................................................................................................2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.............................................................................................................. 3
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................5
1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 6
1.2 Statement of the Problem......................................................................................................... 6
1.3 Research Question................................................................................................................... 7
1.4 Objectives of the Study............................................................................................................ 7
1.5 Operational Definition ............................................................................................................. 8
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW.......................................................................................... 9
2.1 Review of Literature.............................................................................................................. 10
2.2 Conceptual Framework.......................................................................................................... 14
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY.................................................................................................. 17
3.1 Type of study........................................................................................................................ 18
3.2 Location of the study ............................................................................................................. 18
3.3 Universe ............................................................................................................................... 18
3.4 Sampling Procedure............................................................................................................... 19
3.5 Study Period ......................................................................................................................... 19
3.6 Sample Size .......................................................................................................................... 19
3.7 Method of the study............................................................................................................... 19
3.8 Techniques of Data Collection ............................................................................................... 20
3.9 Pretesting.............................................................................................................................. 20
3.10 Processing of data................................................................................................................ 20
3.11 Data Analysis and Interpretation........................................................................................... 20
3.12 Ethical Consideration........................................................................................................... 20
CHAPTER 4 QUANTITATIVE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY .................................................... 21
CHAPTER FIVE QUALITATIVE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY................................................ 38
5.1 Different aspects of freelancers in Bangladesh..................................................................... 39
5.1.1 Social aspect of freelancers.............................................................................................. 39
5.1.2 Economical aspect of freelancers...................................................................................... 39

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5.1.3 How education influences freelancing .............................................................................. 39
5.1.4 Unemployment problems addressed through freelancing.................................................... 40
5.1.5 Importance of proper government policy to propagate freelancing in Bangladesh................ 40
5.2 Case Study........................................................................................................................... 41
5.3 Focus Group Discussion...................................................................................................... 42
CHAPTER SIX CONCLUSION................................................................................................... 45
6.1 Conclusion............................................................................................................................ 46
6.2 Recommendation .................................................................................................................. 46
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................. 47

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List of Tables
Table 4. 1: Distribution of the respondents by age group ....................................................................22
Table 4. 2: Distribution of the respondents by their occupation ...........................................................23
Table 4. 3: Distribution of the respondents by their getting to know about freelancing..........................24
Table 4. 4: Distribution of the respondents through their working years as a freelancer.........................25
Table 4. 5: Distribution of the respondents by their working sectors....................................................26
Table 4. 6: Distribution of the respondents by their involvement with any training program..................27
Table 4. 7: Distribution of the respondents by their freelancing work either full time or part-time .........28
Table 4. 10: Distribution of the respondents if they have inspired anyone for outsourcing.....................31
Table 4. 12: Distribution of the respondents if their lifestyle has been improved or not .........................33
Table 4. 14: Distribution of the respondents if they think outsourcing is playing a vital role in fighting
unemployment.................................................................................................................................35
Table 4. 15: Distribution of the respondents if they think outsourcing is playing a vital role in the social
improvement ...................................................................................................................................36
Table 4. 16: Distribution of the respondents if they think the Government is taking proper measures to
create new freelancers......................................................................................................................37

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List of Figures
FIGURE 4. 1: Distribution of the respondents by age group ...............................................................22
FIGURE 4. 2: Distribution of the respondents by their occupation ......................................................23
FIGURE 4. 3: Distribution of the respondents by their getting to know about freelancing .....................24
FIGURE 4. 4: Distribution of the respondents through their working years..........................................25
FIGURE 4. 5: Distribution of the respondents by their working sectors...............................................26
FIGURE 4. 6: Distribution of the respondents by their involvement with any training program.............27
FIGURE 4. 7: Distribution of the respondents by their freelancing work either full time or part-time ....28
FIGURE 4. 11: Distribution of the respondents if their earned wages have helped their family .............32
FIGURE 4. 13: Distribution of the respondents if their social status has been improved or not ..............34
FIGURE 4. 14: Distribution of the respondents if they think outsourcing is playing a vital role in fighting
unemployment.................................................................................................................................35
FIGURE 4. 15: Distribution of the respondents if they think outsourcing is playing a vital role in the
social improvement..........................................................................................................................36
FIGURE 4. 16: Distribution of the respondents if they think the Government is taking proper measures
to create new freelancers..................................................................................................................37

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The successful accomplishment of this project work is the outcome of the contribution of a
number of people, especially those who have given the time and effort to share their thoughts
and suggestions to improve the report. At the very beginning, I would express my deepest
gratitude to Almighty Allah for giving me the strength and the composure to finish the task
within the scheduled time. I would like to express my appreciation to my internal supervisor,
Rowshon Ara Romke, Department of Applied Sociology, ASA University Bangladesh for
providing me all the guidance and support that I needed mostly.
This was really a good way of learning and I really appreciate her efforts towards giving me
proper line directions. I would like to thank Ahsun Habib, Chairman in charge, Department of
Applied Sociology, ASA University Bangladesh for rendering their valuable time and providing
me with information that was very much needed in order to successful completion of this report.
Finally, my sincere gratitude goes to my family and friends for supporting me, sharing their
thoughts and giving me the moral support during the preparation of this report.

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ABSTRACT
Freelancing has become a popular trend these days as the alternative to the typical nine to five
job. People doing freelancing finds independent lifestyle, good salary, can get to know high
skilled people and become experts in a certain area within a very short time. Though the
demand of work is high, there are so many freelancers in the various online marketplaces so
the chance to get another job after finishing one is a very tough situation to handle. As a
developing country, Bangladesh and its youth are very much interested in doing freelancing
work over the online. But lack of working quality, lack of reasonable internet and the high
price of electronic accessories already make a freelancer’s life tough in Bangladesh. Moreover,
the social aspects are trickier as so many people here discourage to go for a challenging job
rather than finding a government job. Primary object is to know the overall situation of
freelancing in Bangladesh and how freelancers are coping with their career in 2018. This
research finds out the social, economic and the educational factors of freelancing and recent
impact on the people of Bangladesh. Also, how the government can be more helpful to the
freelancers and how these could impact the whole society have been discussed. The study is
based on both qualitative and quantitative methods. A questionnaire has been conducted in the
google forms and around 25 freelancers were interviewed. In addition to these, a focus group
discussion (FGD) and a case study has been conducted to make the research as the qualitative
one. Major findings of the study reflected that freelancing is directly and positively related with
reducing unemployment rate in the country, government should put more emphasis on the
assistance of freelancing community, and reasonable internet cost should be introduced.

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1.1 Introduction
In recent years, freelance jobs have become one of the most popular career choices. Instead of
working inbound and stiff nine to five routine, people are becoming more interested in working
in the shifts of their own choice. On the plus side, freelance workers can contribute versatility
and mobility to any organization. That’s why more and more jobs are getting freelanced. And
the effects are real in First World Countries already. For example, as of 2017, more than 50% of
millennials are already working freelance (Source:
https://www.upwork.com/press/2017/10/17/freelancing-in-america-2017/). and contributed 1.5
trillion (Source: https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/adquiro-content-
prod/documents/Infographic_UP-URL_2040x1180.pdf), which is a significant rise from 2016
(Source: https://www.upwork.com/press/2016/10/06/freelancing-in-america-2016/) and the
number is increasing every year Neighbor Country India has the highest percentage (24%) of
freelance workers their contribution to their economy is almost $400 billion as of 2017
(Source: http://blog.payoneer.com/freelancers/industry-tips-fl/freelancing-india-work). With
the increment of various virtual industries and low-cost labor, Freelance working has become
one of the staples in sectors like IT, Administration and Assistance, Designing, Data Analysis
and Mining and so many more. So, it can be said that the overall virtualization of the technology
will definitely contribute to the increment of freelancers all over the world.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
As of May 2017, Bangladesh has almost 2.6 million unemployed working force in which 28
million people are in the age group between 15 to 29 (Source: The daily Star May 28, 2017)
with an unemployment rate of 4.20 (Source:
https://tradingeconomics.com/bangladesh/unemployment-rate). With these numbers, it can be
easily said that youth of Bangladesh is certainly having a tough time to cope with. The primary
reason for this unemployment can be seen with the rapid population growth which contributed
to the addition to the already large labor force (Source:
https://www.scribd.com/document/96384136/Causes-of-Unemployment-in-Bangladesh).
Another significant issue is the lower rate of investment and growth of industry in our country.

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Though the Private sector creates more job than the Public sector, yet the increment is lower
than usual because the opportunity for investment in the Private sector is marginally slower than
usual (Source: The daily Star May 28, 2017).
Unemployment has already put a great pressure on these large numbers of youths. Along with
the social pressure of becoming stable and dependent and able to start their own family, the
youth of the 1990s and 2000s are already getting a lesser amount of time with a greater
competition to take on. In this dire moment, so many people are looking for alternative sources
of earning.
That’s when Freelancing comes as a savior. Bangladesh is also one of the leading countries
when the question comes on freelance working. Almost 16% global population is from
Bangladesh and every single year, the number is increasing (Source:
https://blog.payoneer.com/freelancers/industry-tips-fl/6-countries-capitals-freelancing/). Also,
Government is trying to popularize Freelancing as a job sector for the youth. Projects like SEIP,
LEDP, LICT has been taken by the ICT Division of Bangladesh Government in order to make
young people more interested with the fact that, they can earn more while sitting in the home
and represent Bangladesh in the Global stage. These factors are making freelancing more and
more popular. More people are joining to the sites like Upwork, Freelancer.com for a solid and
steady career.
1.3 ResearchQuestion
What is the current situation of Freelancing and the alternative career choice between the young
people of Bangladesh?
1.4 Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the research were as follows
1.4.1 General Objectives
Primary object is to know the overall situation of freelancing in Bangladesh and how freelancers
are coping with their career in 2018. Also, to find out how they got started, how they knew

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about freelancing in the first places, what inspired them to choose this career and what kind of
problems they are facing both economically and socially.
1.4.2 Specific Objectives
 To find out the impact of Freelancing on Unemployment in Bangladesh.
 To find out the socio-economic development of Freelancers in Bangladesh.
 To find out an idea on the General Educational Background of Freelancers.
 To investigate the economic situation of freelancers.
1.5 Operational Definition
Freelancer/ Freelance Worker: Basically, the origin of the word Freelancer is from the early
1800s which can be referred to loosely as a medieval mercenary (Source:
https://www.nextworm.com/history-freelancing-getting-famous/). In the modern times, Freelance worker
means working for different organizations on demand. In this means, these workers are also
dependent on the opening of various other jobs which they can be participating as the expert
one. Cambridge defines Freelancers as: “Doing particular pieces of work for different
organizations, rather than working all the time for a single organization.” The Oxford definition
is almost the same: “Self-employed and hired to work for different companies on particular
assignments (Source: http://www.vandelaydesign.com/freelance-defintion/).”
Outsourcing: Outsourcing means giving opportunity or hiring a group of people or an
organization for doing a specific task actively for you. This hiring process can be done in
different ways, via tender or any random process and can hire internationally or domestically.
Popularly known as the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), this can be helpful to so many
medium or small sized businesses as any kind of process can be started without investing big on
infrastructure or labor. Perhaps the biggest reason that organizations outsource their job is that
competitive market gives these organizations more opportunity for choosing budget and time. In
this research, the Word Outsourcing has been used to refer to “Digital Outsourcing” (Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outsourcing).

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2.1 Review of Literature
In the last 10 years, the economic prospect of Bangladesh has increased sequentially upwards. With
more and more investments are getting made, more people are joining the Workforce. The living
standard has been increased and the GDP growth has been good. As of 2017, GDP per capita is
$1545, the economic growth was 7.3% and a grown-up annual industrial production of 15.3%
(Source: https://www.focus-economics.com/countries/bangladesh) The Economic growth of 2017
is 7.28% which is already an all-time high (Source: BdNews24.com November 14 2017). At this
point in 2018, the growth has been increased to 7.65% (Source: The daily start April 04, 2018) but
the most influential sector for the economy of Bangladesh is foreign export. In 2018s January, the
total amount of foreign export is $3.41 Billion, which has already surpassed the previous months of
exports and the growth is exponential. Ready Made Garments (RMG), Leather goods, Jute and Jute
fiber goods, frozen fish export are the primary sectors that have been one of the prolific ones. With
the increasing demand and reputation, Bangladesh is becoming one of the leaders in these sectors.
But there are some issues that keeping Bangladesh becoming a global economic power. One of
them is massive population. The current population of Bangladesh is 166,415,026 as of Friday, July
13, 2018, based on the latest United Nations estimates. Bangladesh population is equivalent to
2.18% of the total world population. Bangladesh ranks number 8 in the list of countries (and
dependencies) by population. The population density in Bangladesh is 1278 per Km2 (3,310 people
per m2) (Source: http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/bangladesh-population/). But the
most shocking thing about these stats is that the median age in Bangladesh is 26.0 years. Which
means, a large number of people are young and ready to work and that’s where the problem of
unemployment starts? As so many people are young and looking forward to a job, the low growth
rate of job opportunities making the job field scarcer. The unemployment rate in 2017 was 4.37%
which was more than the year 2016(4.35%) (Source:
https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/bangladesh/unemployment-rate). With this median age and
the total unemployment, it clearly shows that a majority of the youth is being unutilized and that’s a
shocking thing for any country with this much population.
Perhaps the bigger problem is that the number or graduates are still being unemployed. As of in
2017, Bangladesh Government has estimated that almost 2.6 million graduates are still now

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Unemployed (Source: The daily Star May 28, 2017), as of with this large number of graduates,
both government and Non-government organizations are unable to give them a job as specified jobs
aren’t so much in common.
Unemployment in Bangladesh has so many other factors along with a massive population.
Corruption has been one of the bigger issues than any other in the case of unemployment in
Bangladesh. In every sector of job seeking in Bangladesh, the corruption is higher than any other
countries. As of 2017, Bangladesh has ranked as 143rd in the Corruption perception index from
Transparency International (Source: The daily star February 22, 2018), rising unemployment
corruption has become a massive problem. The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) puts
Bangladesh’s current GDP at around Tk 15.14 trillion in 2017, so a 3 percent loss of GDP would be
as high as Tk 450 billion (Source:Bdnews24.com July 09, 2015). Bribery, rent-seeking and
inappropriate use of government funds, excessive lobbying, long time delays in service
performance, pilferage, irresponsible conduct from the government officials, bureaucratic
intemperance have made public sector departments the most corrupt sectors of Bangladesh
(Source: Zafarullah, Habib; Siddiquee, Noore Alam (1 December 2001). "Dissecting Public Sector
Corruption in Bangladesh: Issues and Problems of Control". Public Organization Review. 1 (4):
465–486. doi:10.1023/A:1013740000213. ISSN 1566-7170). The most corrupted sectors here are
Judicial System, Police, Public Services, Land Administrations, Tax Administrations, Public
Procurement and so on.
Bureaucracy has also played a major part in the role of slow unemployment. In Bangladesh, so
many things are slower than usual as there are more paper works and lesser digital maneuver
over any kind of issues. As each department is individual and doesn’t have any connection, any
kind of work takes so much time than usual. As of April, almost 6000 high ranked government
posts have been vacant (Source: The daily star April 10th, 2018) and due to Governments slow
bureaucracy. Bureaucrats often lose objectivity in policymaking as undue political inference and
partisan interests override neutral expertise (Source:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/23276665.2014.911491?journalCode=rapa20).
Corrupted political leaders often hamper this bureaucratic chain of command, which results into
a long-term stockpile of pending works and it increases time to time.

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As a developing country with this much problem, young people often try to search alternative
job sectors for their livelihood. A large number of students has chosen to go to foreign countries
for both study and job. In the last 10 years, the number of students heading for foreign countries
has been doubled and the main actor playing here is the reason of low-quality education and
unemployment (Source: New Age Bangladesh January 14th, 2018). In 2006, the number of
foreign university-bound students has more than doubled to 33,139 in 2016 (Source: Dhaka
Tribune January 28th, 2018). The return rate of these students is minimum and that shows how
Bangladesh’s Market is unable to provide a job to a large number of graduates. In so many
cases the students who have gone abroad are from a good economic status. But where the
majority is from the lower class, they can’t afford that. So, as an alternative, a large number of
young people are considering freelance working over the online workspaces. (New Age
Bangladesh - January 14, 2018 ; Dhaka Tribune - January 28th, 2018)
Freelance working is already popular worldwide. Often referred to as the “Gig Work”,
freelancing is a very much staple in not only big industries, but also in small industries. As of
2015, 35% of the workforce in the United States consists of freelancers (Source:
https://www.upwork.com/press/2016/10/06/freelancing-in-america-2016/). And this number is
getting higher and higher each year. Asia, especially south-eastern and south region are the
hidden gem of freelance workers. PayPal’s “Global Freelancer Survey” polled 11,324
freelancers across 22 markets worldwide, of which 1,602 were from Singapore, Indonesia,
Vietnam, and the Philippines (Source: http://english.vov.vn/society/freelancing-a-future-career-
trend-for-the-global-economy-370039.vov).This booming rise in the freelance economy is due
to the fact that the face of industries is continuously changing. Even jobs that are paying so high
weren’t even existed 10 years ago. More enterprises are starting to recognize the benefits
associated with an on-demand workforce of highly skilled professionals, including faster service
and lower costs. Also, industries who can’t afford big money for their technical workloads can
easily be doing their work with part-time freelancers and grow.
Freelancing has not only it’s economical perks, it also has so many benefits for the freelancers
and also for the industry. Some of them are mentioned below:

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 The working hours are flexible and can be chosen according to the demand of the
contractor. That means, without compromising on 9 to 5 office hours, any service can be
provided within the 24 hours and it can happen on demand. This also results into lesser
wasted working an hour and system loss.
 If the working procedure isn’t matching with the contractor, then the contractor can
easily switch to another freelancer with an ease, mean less time on employment and
more on working.
 The payment for a freelance work is usually higher than the normal ones as these jobs
are soulfully regarded for the people who are expert in that specific field. This also
results in a lesser waiting period for the job to be done.
 In a personal level, Freelancing can be helpful for health. As 9 to 5 desk jobs can be
often frustrating and time-consuming, it should be also mentioned the flat rate of money
is also another issue. According to a Danish study, these efforts also make it easier for
people to get sick (Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21528171).
Freelancers are often more relaxed, get enough sleep for starting a new work day and
less likely to commute from one place to another as a 10-mile commute can lead to a
higher blood pressure and increased cholesterol (Source:
http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797%2812%2900167-5/abstract). Also,
freelancers more likely to have time for exercise resulting in a better health.
Along with these advantages, there are some disadvantages that lurk with the perks of being a
freelancer. They are:
 The amount of work varies over time to time and field. Some field is competitive and
has more job than the other and it continues over time. So, it might often happen that
work might not be so frequent.
 The lack of interpersonal relationships over the team may result into lesser team spirit
and that might result into a fallout between the team partners and can lead to a lack of
commitment over the time, resulting in the departure of a certain member meaning that
another cycle of employment and working procedure.
 Freelancing also means a worker may not get paid because of fraudulence and won’t be
able to claim. Professional sites like Upwork, Freelancer, Uber have dispute policy for

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the fair distribution of wages, yet still, a freelancer can lose his money without any valid
reasons or for technical issues.
Despite these disadvantages, freelancers from Bangladesh freelancers are working with pride in
the online marketplaces. Bangladeshi freelancers are already registered in the various online
marketplaces worldwide. It’s been estimated that almost 500000 people work in various online
workplaces and generate almost a $100 million of foreign remittance, which is a great addition
to our economy (Source: Dhaka Tribune September 21st, 2017).
2.2 ConceptualFramework
On the basis of the literature review, it can be said that the conceptual framework is formed on
alternative employment or career plan.

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Alternate
Career Plan
Interaction with
foreign clients and
becoming the best
in the business.
Comfortable
working hours,
desired work field,
creative work
Getting out of
unemployment and
placing a position in
the society.
Breaking the bariers
of 9 to 5 paradigm
and creating the self
made business.
Earning a good
amount of money
from home.

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From this Figure above, one can understand the concept of this research work. With the help of
virtualization via the internet, people can easily learn from the internet and become skillful.
With their learning or even having in-depth knowledge from being educated, people can go for
a specific freelance job over online. This can be their backup plan for their career. And if they
take it seriously and dedicate their full time, these can be helpful to reduce unemployment,
create new scopes of earning and pushes towards a positive socio-economic impact for the
people.
Freelancer
Educated Students
Positive impact on socio-economic
development
Reduce Unemployment
Virtualization of
Technology
Create alternative working
environment
Trained and
Computer Skilled
People

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The methodology is the procedure in which the data collection and analysis has been done with the
finalization of the research. To achieve these goals, one has to conduct a series of studies like field
survey and investigation, data collection, analysis of the retrieved data and evaluation.
In this study, the survey method has been used. Firstly, the data has been collected from the people who
are previously or recently doing freelance working across Bangladesh’s various region, from urban to
rural. The study data about respective concepts will be collected through incorporating relevant items
(variables) in the questionnaire and analyzed and interpreted using descriptive techniques.
3.1 Type of study
Research mainly conducts as two types and they are:
i. Quantitative.
ii. Qualitative.
In this case, both quantitative and qualitative methods have been followed for a better understanding
and result. This study was conducted based on both primary data and secondary documents and the
primary data is conducted by observation and questionnaire techniques.
3.2 Locationof the study
As the surveying has been conducted over the google docs, it has been done with freelancers across the
country especially from Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barisal, Magura, Feni, Noakhali,
Rangamati, and Rangpur.
3.3 Universe
In a research or survey, universe means the population that has been taken part in the overall surveying
process with certain specified characteristic so that the sample can be used to draw the interface for the
overall research. This study has been undertaken between the freelancers of Bangladesh. It’s been

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estimated that there are almost 650,000 freelancers in Bangladesh who are earning 21 million Dollars
only from upwork.
3.4 Sampling Procedure
With the sampling procedure, the collected data is being used for study a portion of the universe so that
the conclusion can be drawn about the majority of the universe. In this case, the Data has been collected
and deliberately selected the sample units to confirm the predetermined criteria of the research, such as
the most appropriate issues that go with the research. The chance that a particular case can be selected
for the sample depends on the subjective judgments of the researcher. In this case, freelancers all
around Bangladesh were selected purposively.
3.5 Study Period
The Study was conducted from April 2018 to August 2018.
3.6 Sample Size
As the number is huge, a minimum number of 30 people were taken as the test sample for this research.
To be specific, freelancers who work online were the main focus of this research. The study considered
their age, current occupation, what kind of freelancing they are doing, how long they have been
working online if they have taken any courses or not, preferences over choosing this job and why they
think this is developing their lives. The data of the study about respective concepts were collected
through a questionnaire via google forms and analyzed and interpreted using descriptive techniques.
3.7 Method of the study
The research has been taken care of with the help of surveying. Data were collected from 30 freelancers
who are currently living in Bangladesh and directly or indirectly related to the online workplaces
through various jobs.

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3.8 Techniques of Data Collection
The questionnaire in the Google Forms was prepared in Bangla and finalized through a pre-test which
consisted of 10 freelancers. Data were collected in both Bangla and English with this questionnaire.
3.9 Pretesting
To formulate the research and its design, a pretesting is a necessary step. This also leads to the proper
way to the effective data collection. Before finalizing this questionnaire, a pretest was conducted on 7
freelancers from various online marketplace freelancers for further modification and addition of
respective information.
3.10 Processingofdata
After initially collecting the data from the google forms, the data found are being processed by Google
forms automatic built-in visualization techniques.
3.11 Data Analysis and Interpretation
Collected data is being processed with help of statistical analysis via SPSS and Google form. The
percentage has been calculated for a large number of variables under the study. In every table data have
been analyzed and interpreted.
3.12 EthicalConsideration
For smooth conduction of the study, the respondents were informed about the purpose of the study
before the interview. Researcher assured the respondent’s never to disclose their original identity in this
study report to establish their confidentiality. Every interview was collected in respondent’s free time
and never lose their working time, about 25-30 minutes time was required for each interview.

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CHAPTER 4
QUANTITATIVE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY

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Table 4.1: Distribution of the respondents by age group
Age Frequency Percentage
18-22 6 24
22-27 7 28
27-32 10 40
32-37 0 0
37 and above 2 8
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 1: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY AGE GROUP
Table 4.1 above and figure 4.1 show the overall frequency and percentage distribution of the
respondents by age group. It indicates that out of 25 respondents 24% belongs to the age group
of (18-21) years whereas a major portion i.e. 28% belongs to the age group of (22-25) years and
largest portion of the respondents i.e. 40% falls in the group of (26-29) years. Yet there are 8%
respondents belongs to the age group of (33 and above).
FIGURE 4. 1: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY AGE GROUP

23
Table 4.2: Distribution of the respondents by their occupation
Occupation Frequency Percentage
Fulltime Freelancer 13 48.23
College, University Student/ Dropout 6 22.26
Graphics Designer/ Web Developer 4 18.55
Corporate Job 4 14.84
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 2: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY THEIR OCCUPATION
Table 4.2 above and figure 4.2 below show occupation ratio from the respondents. Here the
majority of respondents (48.23%) are full-time freelancers, 22.6% are students, either studying
in College or University or had dropped, others are professional web developers or graphics
designers (18.55%) and some of them do freelancing along with their corporate job (14.84%)
FIGURE 4. 2: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY THEIR OCCUPATION
Table 4.3: Distribution of the respondents by their getting to know about freelancing

24
Method of getting to know Frequency Percentage
Self-searching from the internet 6 22.26
Inspired by someone 8 29.68
Inspired by freelancing blogs 9 33.39
Trained and started from an institute 2 7.42
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 3: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY THEIR GETTING TO KNOW ABOUT FREELANCING
Table 4.3 above and figure 4.3 below show how the respondents learned about freelancing.
Various freelancing blogs have been inspiring since these are the majority in the survey
(33.39%). Another major inspiration of so many people was their friends and family members
(29.68%) Also, other things like, learning and watching videos to self-learning (22.26%). A few
people have gone to any institute for any training in a certain area (7.42%).
FIGURE 4. 3: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY THEIR GETTING TO KNOW ABOUT FREELANCING

25
Table 4.4: Distribution of the respondents through their working years as a freelancer
Working Years Frequency Percentage
Less than a year 5 18.55
1 year to 3 years 13 48.23
More than 3 years to 5 years 5 18.55
More than 5 years 2 7.42
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 4: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS THROUGH THEIR WORKING YEARS AS A FREELANCER
Table 4.4 above and figure 4.4 below show how many years the respondents have been working
in the market. It shows that majority of the respondents are young in this market and have been
working for only more than 1 to 3 years (48.23%). A large number of people are starting
(18.55%). So many of the respondents are Veterans with more than 5 years of experience in
marketplaces (7.42%) and others are also working less than 5 years but more than 3 years
(18.55%).
FIGURE 4. 4: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS THROUGH THEIR WORKING YEARS

26
Table 4.5: Distribution of the respondents by their working sectors
Working Sector Frequency Percentage
Content/Blog Writing/Virtual Assistance 5 18.55
Data Entry 5 18.55
Social Media Marketing/Search Engine
Optimization
5 18.55
Graphics/UX/UI Designing 7 25.97
Web Development/Application
Development
3 11.13
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 5: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY THEIR WORKING SECTORS
Table 4.5 above and figure 4.5 below show in which sectors the respondents are working at this
point. It seems that the majority of them are doing designing jobs (25.97%), various content
writing and virtual assistance job (18.55%), basic and modified data entry jobs (18.55%), SEO,
SMM experts (18.55%) and desktop and web application developers (11.13%).
FIGURE 4. 5: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY THEIR WORKING SECTORS

27
Table 4.6: Distribution of the respondents by their involvement with any training program
Involvement in any
training program?
Frequency Percentage
Yes 9 33.3
No 16 66.7
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 6: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH ANY TRAINING PROGRAM
Table 4.6 above and figure 4.6 below show that from the 25 respondents only 33.3% people said
they have got themselves involved in any training program before coming to the marketplace.
But a major group of respondents about 66.67% said they haven’t taken part in any kind of
programs.
FIGURE 4. 6: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH ANY TRAINING PROGRAM

28
Table 4.7: Distribution of the respondents by their freelancing work either full time or
part-time
How you do your
freelancing jobs
Full Time 11 51.9
Part Time 14 48.1
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 7: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY THEIR FREELANCING WORK EITHER FULL TIME OR PART-TIME
Table 4.7 above and figure 4.7 below show that from the 25 respondents only 48.1 % people
said they have part-time jobs besides their daily job or business. But a major group of
respondents about 51.9% said they are doing fulltime jobs in various marketplaces.
FIGURE 4. 7: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY THEIR FREELANCING WORK EITHER FULL TIME OR PART-TIME

29
Table 4.8: Distribution of the respondents by their monthly income from outsourcing
Monthly Income in $ Frequency Percentage
0 to 100 5 28
101 to 200 6 33.6
201 to 300 0 0
301 to 500 3 19.2
More than 500 3 19.2
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 8: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY THEIR MONTHLY INCOME FROM OUTSOURCING
Table 4.8 above and figure 4.8 below show how much money freelancers’ income on a monthly
basis. As the impact of having a part-time job, it has been marginally shown here from the
region where people earn between $200 or less (33.6%). People who are also in the market for a
longer period of time are also can be seen in a distinctive yet similar ratio (19.2%) where in both
cases, people are earning more than $500 and between $300 to $500 which is a good sign that
freelancers from Bangladesh are establishing themselves.
FIGURE 4. 8: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY THEIR MONTHLY INCOME FROM OUTSOURCING

30
Table 4.9: Distribution of the respondents by their other job-related activity
Table 4.9 above and figure 4.9 show how the respondents are involved in other jobs along with
outsourcing. As it can be seen that the majority of people who are students are interested in an
extra earning source (40.7%). Other sources are as usual and normal as a businessman do some
part-time gigs (22.2%) and job holder also do some in their spare time (18.5%).
FIGURE 4. 9: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY THEIR OTHER JOB-RELATED ACTIVITY
Other Activity Frequency Percentage
Student 11 40.7
Business 6 22.2
Full-Time Freelancing 5 18.5
Job 3 18.5
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 9: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS BY THEIROTHER JOB-RELATEDACTIVITY

31
Table 4.10: Distribution of the respondents if they have inspired anyone for outsourcing
Table 4.10 above and figure 4.10 below show how the respondents have encouraged others for
seeking a freelancing job. The majority seems to be on a positive side when it comes to
encouraging others about doing a freelance job (70.4%).
FIGURE 4. 10: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS IF THEY HAVE INSPIRED ANYONE FOR OUTSOURCING
If they inspired anyone Frequency Percentage
Yes 19 70.4
No 6 29.6
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 10: DISTRIBUTIONOF THE RESPONDENTSIF THEYHAVE INSPIREDANYONE FOR OUTSOURCING

32
Table 4.11: Distribution of the respondents if their earned wages have helped their family
Table 4.11 above and figure 4.11 below show how the respondents earned wages have left any
positive or negative effects. In major cases, positive (85.2%) approach has been found whereas
a few have pointed out their negativity over this issue (14.8%).
FIGURE 4. 8: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS IF THEIR EARNED WAGES HAVE HELPED THEIR FAMILY
If freelancing helped their family Frequency Percentage
Yes 21 85.2
No 4 14.8
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 11: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS IF THEIR EARNED WAGES HAVE HELPED THEIR FAMILY

33
Table 4.12: Distribution of the respondents if their lifestyle has been improved or not
Table 4.12 above and figure 4.12 below show how the respondents have encouraged others for
seeking a freelancing job. The majority seems to be on a positive side when it comes to
encouraging others about doing a freelance job (77.8%).
FIGURE 4. 12: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS IF THEIR LIFESTYLE HAS BEEN IMPROVED
If the lifestyle has improved Frequency Percentage
Yes 20 77.8
No 5 22.2
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 8: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS IF THEIR LIFESTYLE HAS BEEN IMPROVED OR NOT

34
Table 4.13: Distribution of the respondents if their social status has been improved or not
Table 4.13 above and figure 4.13 below show how the respondents if their social status has been
improved or not. A large number of freelancers (55.6%) think that their social status hasn’t been
changed because of social prejudice on people can’t work from home without going outside.
But the other portion (44.4%) shows a positive sign that the situation is changing rapidly.
FIGURE 4. 9: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS IF THEIR SOCIAL STATUS HAS BEEN IMPROVED OR NOT
.
If the social status has been improved Frequency Percentage
Yes 10 44.4
No 15 55.6
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4.13: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS IF THEIRSOCIAL STATUSHAS BEENIMPROVEDOR NOT

35
Table 4.14: Distribution of the respondents if they think outsourcing is playing a vital role in
fighting unemployment
Table 4.14 above and figure 4.14 below show that the situation has been totally positive as
100% of freelancers think that unemployment can be eradicated and can be a solution for day by
day rising of lack of jobs in the market.
FIGURE4. 10: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTSIFTHEY THINK OUTSOURCING ISPLAYING A VITAL ROLE IN FIGHTING
UNEMPLOYMENT
If outsourcing is playing a vital role in
fighting unemployment
Yes 25 100
No 0 0
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 9: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS IF THEY THINK OUTSOURCING IS PLAYING A VITAL ROLE IN FIGHTING
UNEMPLOYMENT

36
Table 4.15: Distribution of the respondents if they think outsourcing is playing a vital role in
the social improvement
Table 4.15 above and figure 4.15 below show how the respondents think that outsourcing has
been a key factor for the social development. The majority of freelancers (88.9%) think that the
freelancing has been the pivot for recent social developments as more and more foreign
currency is coming, thus making the lifestyle more easy for others and generating more taxes
for the government.
FIGURE4. 11: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTSIFTHEY THINKOUTSOURCING ISPLAYINGA VITAL ROLE IN THE SOCIAL
IMPROVEMENT
outsourcing is playing a vital role in the social
improvement
Yes 19 88.9
No 6 11.1
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 10: DISTRIBUTIONOF THE RESPONDENTSIF THEYTHINK OUTSOURCING IS PLAYING A VITAL ROLE IN THE SOCIAL
IMPROVEMENT

37
Table 4.16: Distribution of the respondents if they think the Government is taking proper
measures to create new freelancers
Table 4.16 above and figure 4.16 below show if the respondents think the Government is taking
proper measures to create new freelancers. Around 22.2% of people think that the recent
initiatives on creating more freelancers, making more training centers have become a major
player in encouraging young people to be a freelancer. Whereas the majority of 77.8% of people
think that the internet pricing is high and there should be a lesser tax for any kind of IT product
while importing.
FIGURE4. 12: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTSIFTHEY THINK THE GOVERNMENT IS TAKING PROPER MEASURES TO
CREATE NEW FREELANCERS
If they inspired anyone Frequency Percentage
Yes 19 77.8
No 6 22.2
Total 25 100.0
TABLE 4. 11: DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS IF THEY THINK THE GOVERNMENT IS TAKING PROPER MEASURES TO
CREATE NEW FREELANCERS

38
CHAPTER FIVE
QUALITATIVE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY

39
5.1 Different aspects offreelancers in Bangladesh
As there are so many obstacles to finding and surveying freelancers on a massive scale and in a short
time, a large amount of data is missing and the result may vary if the dataset gets bigger. This chapter
will include all those quantitative findings which can’t be shown in the previous chapter.
5.1.1 Social aspect of freelancers
In the previous chapter, table 4.14 shows that freelancers are not happy with how they are treated in the
society and think that their social status on becoming a good member is not going anywhere further. As
the social tradition of Bangladesh is that working is done outside the house, people who are sitting in
the house are worthless and have no social background at all. As so many of the previous generation
has this kind of mentality, there is an obvious reason that this process of thought will prevail. But the
other measurement of shows that the social perspective is changing and people are getting adaptive
with this new chain of thoughts thus giving a hope to the freelancers that they will be accepted in the
near future.
5.1.2 Economical aspect of freelancers
In the previous chapter, table 4.7 shows that 51.9% of people are taking freelancing more and more as a
full time one. Though a large number of people (48.1%) still doing this kind of jobs as a part-time one,
still they're making enough money to live happily. Also, the findings also show that the more the
money they are earning, the better their lifestyle is getting, thus making a combined effort of making
the economy more and more productive. Another issue is here that freelancers are more prone to fill
their tax on time as the earning is good. Table 4.12 represents that 77.8% of people are getting
benefitted with freelancing and making their lifestyle easier and more comfortable.
5.1.3 How education influences freelancing
In the previous chapter, Table 4.2 shows that 40.7% of people who are doing freelancing are students
and table 4.1 also shows that 68% of this age group is in between 22 and 29. These numbers mean that
students are utilizing their time more and also learning and getting valuable experience over working
with various people. This also shows that students are becoming more concerned about their future and
they are trying to change the stereotypical narrative of doing traditional jobs. Whereas at this point
when a large number of people are preparing for jobs, freelancers do their own jobs, gathering a good

40
amount of experience which will be resulted in a more technical study in the future rather than typical
theoretical rhetoric education system.
5.1.4 Unemployment problems addressed through freelancing
In the previous chapter from table 4.14, 100% of respondents think that freelancing is playing an
important role in eradicating unemployment issue. Also, from the table 4.11, 77.8% of freelancers agree
that their support towards family has been increased thus making their lifestyle more comfortable and
easier. Also, in the table 4.15, 88.9% people think that freelancing is contributing towards a more
sustainable society, meaning more people are getting employed and playing the role of becoming a
model citizen.
5.1.5 Importance of proper government policy to propagate freelancing in Bangladesh
In the previous chapter, table 4.16 shows that 77.8% of freelancers think that government is not helping
enough to get the freelancers the perfect head start that other country giving to their freelancers. The
increased internet bill, costly tax and pricing of personal computers, lack funding and support for the
startups and various freelance agencies, lack lusting issues of getting a place for work has also been a
key factor for the freelancers of Bangladesh for not flourishing enough.

41
5.2 Case Study
Pronoy Mendes is currently studying in Dhaka College. He is completing his Bachelor’s
Degree in Business Administration. He has come from a very lower-middle-class family,
meaning that living in Dhaka is costly for him and his family is in a tough situation to support
him completely. So, he has to do some part-time tuition and other works to fulfill his
economical requirements. One day, he knew about Upwork and started to give his time and
effort. After 6 months, he got his first job in Upwork and since then he has been working part-
time as a Virtual Assistant. His monthly earning is now $300 and he also supports his family
and has become fully independent.
The following respondent for the case study has found economic balance and has been able to
self-fund his study after a certain period of time. Though initially, it was tough for him to
maintain his social life, education, and job, after sometimes he abled to come up with the times.
He is currently thinking of doing freelancing after finishing his study for 3 years. Then after he
will have earned a handsome amount of money, he would take a hiatus for 6 months and
prepare for the IELTS exam for pursuing his Master's Degree from Europe.

42
5.3 Focus Group Discussion
After a qualitative analysis from the questionnaire, a focus group discussion was taken place. For the
sake of integrity, the identity of the discussion participants is not disclosed. The discussion was taken
place on 6th August 2018 in Dhaka.
In the very first question, the participants were agreed that freelancing has become a major part of our
Bangladesh’s economy. Also, they agreed that the freelancing is a great alternative for anyone and
young people who aren’t getting any jobs are less frustrated as they are becoming more skillful in the
respective fields and earning money. Another important aspect that came out of this discussion is that
though the clients are not having a conversation with the freelancers’ face to face, they are still very
clear about their strategy and sees every worker equally. Their proper work instruction is beneficiary to
the freelancers and they learn new things to implement for further future.
During the second question, the response was mixed by each of the participants. 2 of them were a
newbie and other 2 including the researcher were freelancers for almost 7 years. After a long time of
working on the marketplaces, people learn about these marketplaces usual pattern of behavior of
clients. Another issue they talked about is that the uncertainty of jobs in the market. The newbie
freelancers are working in an agency and contributing individual services because they aren’t able to
get their first job in the market. Also, the lack of support for the freelancers in these marketplaces has
been a question for a long time. Often happens that the client doesn’t provide any money to the
freelancer and then escape from the marketplaces with a bad review to the freelancers, resulting in a
temporary permanent ban from the marketplaces.
The discussion on how freelancing can be made popular came to a mutual result. Participants thought
that if the Government decreases the price of electronics. Internet with low cost and higher bandwidth
was a demand as the internet can have a widespread appeal for letting other people know about the
opportunities of being a freelancer. Also, the Government should emphasize providing quality training,
not just quantity.
Lastly, these freelancers knew about freelancing especially with their friends and family. As these
young people have themselves to be more confident and Energetic.

43
They are already working as the understudy of various freelancers and they are learning. This means
more and more Public are getting to know from the experienced and can easily be adapted to the near
future job.

46
6.1 Conclusion
Freelancers of Bangladesh are working successfully in the various marketplaces. Also, so many
freelance consultants are working with so many renowned institutions and making Bangladesh Proud.
Not only freelancing contributing economically, but also the social aspects of freelancers are huge.
Though people might think that freelancers don’t work and just sit in front of the computer, thus
thinking of them as socially inactive and lazy, still freelancers are earning a very respectable amount of
foreign remittance and creating more job fields for students and part-time workers. This flow of
employment fostering makes people getting more interested in freelancing work and making them more
active. This trend can be easily utilized but the Government is only emphasizing the number of
freelancers who can just open an account over marketplaces. These people are not given proper
training, learning facility to be prepared. Hence the market is getting overflown with unskilled
manpower, thus damaging the reputation of Bangladesh in the virtual job market. Yet after all this,
Bangladeshi Freelancers are working with pride and joy and representing the country to the World
stage and proving that, despite having lesser opportunities and facilitates, they can still prevail in this
field.
6.2 Recommendation
1. The internet bill should be reduced.
2. The tax on Personal computer accessories and laptops should be taken down to 0%
3. The government should emphasize on more well-prepared training centers rather than just any
training centers for beginners.
4. There should be a more flexible money transfer system so that freelancers can easily take courses or
buy virtual tools from the marketplaces.
5. Raise Social Awareness on how Freelancing can be effective.

47
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52
APPENDIX
Interview Schedule
ASA UNIVERSITY, BANGLADESH
Research topic: The Rise of Freelancing and its Impact on the Socio-Economic Development
of Bangladesh: A Sociological Study.
Researcher: Md Ashfak Sayed.
ResearchSupervisor: Rowshon Ara Romke
The data collected through this interview schedule will be kept confidential and only be used for
research purposes without any personal reference.
Date:
No:

53
Freelancing & Socio-Economic development of Bangladesh
Thesis Survey form
SectionA
Name:
Age:
Occupation:
Email:
SectionB (Survey Questions)
 In which Medium you had started freelancing?
Ans:
 How long have you been freelancing?
Ans:
 What kind of work do you do in freelancing?
Ans:
 Before starting freelancing, have you taken any course?
A) Yes B) No
 Do you Freelance Full time or Part time?
A) Full-time B) Part-time
 What's your monthly income?
Ans:

54
 In your opinion, what are the advantages of being a freelancer?
Ans:
 In your opinion, what are the disadvantages of being a freelancer?
Ans:
 Are you doing any job/business alongside freelancing?
A) Job B) Business C) Student Only D) Freelancing
 As a freelancer, have you helped anyone with your technological skills?
A) Yes B) No
 If yes, then how many people have you helped?
Ans:
 Have you inspired anyone for choosing to freelance as a career?
A) Yes B) No
 If yes, then in which way?
Ans:
 Do you think being a freelancer, the status of your family has increased?
A) Yes B) No
 Do you think that after being a freelancer, your living standard has increased?
A) Yes B) No
 Do you think being a freelancer, your social status has increased?

55
A) Yes B) No
 Do you think freelancing is playing a vital role in eradicating unemployment in Bangladesh?
A) Yes B) No
 Do you think freelancing is important for social development?
A) Yes B) No
 Do you think Government is taking the right steps to create new freelancers?
A) Yes B) No
 As a freelancer, what kinds of facilities do you expect from the government?
Ans:

56
Timeline (2018)
MAY
• Submission of Research Monogram
JUNE
• Studying previous literatureson relatedtopic
JULY
• Data Collectionand Analysis
AUGUST
• Drafting, reviewing, finalizingand submitting
study paper

The rise of freelancing and it's impact in socio economic development of bangladesh, a sociological study

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