Bangladesh Facebook closure hits social media-based entrepreneurs

As the government continues to keep Facebook banned for ‘security reasons’, small entrepreneurs and freelancers whose businesses are based on the social networking site are beginning to feel the pinch.

Many of those hit by the ban have said that their dreams have already begun to come apart after they have embarked on their work with little investments.

Freelancer Saidul Islam, who has taken outsourcing as a mode to earn money, said, “We, who are outsourcing on a small basis, are totally finished.”

“All our work came through Facebook. Now we are broke as the site is blocked,” he added.

Islam said his clients were now hiring hands from India.

“It has caused long term damage to us,” he said.

He said entrepreneurs like him had lost around Tk 1.2 million owing to Facebook being blocked.

“Many students worked through us. It was a source of income for them,” he said. 

According to Islam, the students earned Tk 2,500 to 3,000 a week through him.

Thakurgaon’s Tarek Alam, a tailor, said his customers had ordered dresses by selecting designs from his Facebook page.

“Since Facebook is now closed, my orders have stopped coming,” he said.

He said he did not have enough money to launch a separate website to get orders.

“So I turned to Facebook and earned orders from friends, their acquaintances and others I know,” he said.

Afsana Sumi, who runs the Facebook-based boutique shop ‘Gutipoka’, has run into similar problems.

“Facebook users are the customers of this boutique shop. So, when Facebook is closed it means no business.

“We have products and we are ready to take these to the customers. But how and where?” she asked plaintively.

“It’s not possible for me to open a showroom or a website,” she added.

She was also concerned at the possibility of her links to her customers not being restored.

The story was similar for Afsana Shormi of the Facebook shopping  page ‘Kolpotoru’.

For her part, State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim has said the losses small entrepreneurs and freelancers are suffering saddens her.

“But the government can’t risk people’s lives,” she added.

She said the social networking site would be opened once her ministry received a green signal from the home ministry.

It may be recalled that Bangladesh got disconnected from the World Wide Web for around one and a half hours on Nov 18.

The internet connection was restored but people still cannot use Facebook, its messaging app and some other communication apps.

The government has said it has blocked this site and apps for ‘security reasons’.