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PayPal in Bangladesh: A Big Problem for Freelancers and Online Businesses

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PayPal is a popular online payment system. It is fast and safe. People use it to send and receive money worldwide.

In Bangladesh, PayPal is not available. Freelancers and business owners face problems. They lose jobs. They pay high fees on other platforms like Payoneer and Skrill. Payments take longer to arrive. Bangladesh needs PayPal to grow in freelancing and online business.

Experts say the government must fix this. The rules need to change. The government and banks must work with PayPal. Without PayPal, Bangladesh loses many chances. Solving this will help freelancers and the economy.

What is PayPal?

PayPal is an online payment system. It helps people send and receive money over the internet. Many people and businesses in the world use PayPal. It is fast, safe, and easy.

You can connect your PayPal account to your bank or card. After that, you can send money to anyone who has a PayPal account. You can also receive money and then transfer it to your bank.

PayPal works in more than 200 countries. People use it in freelancing, e-commerce, and online shopping.

How Does PayPal Work?

PayPal works in a few simple steps:

  1. Create an account with your email and personal details.
  2. Link your bank account or card to PayPal.
  3. Send money by using the email of the person you want to pay.
  4. Receive money from clients, companies, or anyone who has PayPal.
  5. Withdraw money to your bank account.

It is fast and safe. PayPal protects both buyers and sellers. Many clients trust PayPal because it is easy to use and has good security.

Why Does Bangladesh Need PayPal?

Bangladesh has many freelancers and online business owners. According to the ICT Division of Bangladesh, there are over 650,000 registered freelancers. Many of them work with clients from countries like the USA, UK, and Canada. These clients mostly pay through PayPal.

Without PayPal, freelancers in Bangladesh face big problems:

  • Missed jobs: Many clients only want to pay by PayPal. Without it, freelancers lose projects.
  • High fees: Freelancers use other services like Payoneer, Skrill, or Western Union. These services charge more fees.
  • Long delays: Payments through other platforms take longer to arrive.
  • E-commerce limits: Many online shops like eBay, Shopify, Etsy, and Apple prefer PayPal. Bangladeshi sellers cannot sell easily on these platforms.

Example:
A freelance graphic designer from Dhaka lost a $1,000 project because the client only used PayPal.

What Do Experts Say?

Many experts think Bangladesh must solve this problem quickly.

Shafqat Islam, founder of NewsCred, says,

“Bangladeshi freelancers are highly skilled, but they cannot reach full potential without PayPal.”

Mustafa Jabbar, the former ICT Minister, once said,

“Our government is trying to bring PayPal. It is important for the growth of digital Bangladesh.”

How Can Bangladesh Solve the Problem?

1. Government action

The government should talk to PayPal directly. Other countries like India and Pakistan made deals with PayPal to enter their markets.

Example:
Pakistan did not have PayPal for years, but now freelancers use PayPal through partnerships with banks.

2. Better policies

Bangladesh has strong rules for sending and receiving dollars. These rules stop companies like PayPal from coming. The government can update these rules to make PayPal feel safe.

3. Pressure from freelancers

Freelancers and IT companies can work together. They can create campaigns to ask for PayPal. If many people raise their voice, the government will listen faster.

4. Use of alternatives

While waiting for PayPal, freelancers can use other platforms like:

  • Payoneer (used by many Bangladeshi freelancers)
  • Wise (TransferWise)
  • Skrill
  • Bank wire transfer

But these platforms do not offer the same trust or global reach as PayPal.

5. Local solutions

Some Bangladeshi banks and fintech companies try to create new payment solutions. But these need more support and global partnerships to compete with PayPal.

Who is Responsible for the Problem?

Several groups share the responsibility:

  • Bangladesh Bank: It has strict rules for international money transfers.
  • PayPal: PayPal did not enter Bangladesh because of the tough banking laws.
  • The government: It has not pushed hard enough to make PayPal available.
  • Financial institutions: Many banks in Bangladesh still lack modern cross-border payment systems.

The Real Impact

The lack of PayPal slows down the growth of the freelancing industry in Bangladesh. It also affects small businesses and startups.

Example:
An online clothing store in Chittagong wanted to sell products on eBay. But without PayPal, they could not take payments from foreign customers.

Final Words

Bangladesh is growing fast in the digital world. But without PayPal, freelancers and online businesses will continue to face problems. The government, banks, and the business community must work together to solve this issue.

Bringing PayPal to Bangladesh will help freelancers earn more, attract more global clients, and grow the economy.

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