Dhaka is most ‘forgetful’ city in country: Uber

Metropolitan city Dhaka is the most forgetful city in the country, according to the seventh edition of Lost and Found Index 2023 of the leading ridesharing app Uber.

The index released on Wednesday provides a snapshot of what people forget most frequently, the days of the week, hours of the day, and times of the year when Uber riders reported lost items, said a press statement.

People in Bangladesh were most forgetful during the Eid celebrations this year, particularly during lunch and post-lunch hours. And most phones and cameras were left behind over the weekends. Over the last year, Uber witnessed objects including phones and bags top the list of most forgotten items in Ubers across Bangladesh, followed by utility items like wallets, headphones and documents. Besides leaving the usuals behind, citizens also forget unexpected things such as laptops.

Mobile phones top the list of most forgotten items in Bangladesh, followed by bags, wallets, headphones, and documents while Fridays were the most common days to report lost items, especially from 1 PM - 4 pm.

Armanur Rahman, head of Bangladesh and East India, Uber, said, “We understand the feeling of panic on realising you’ve left something behind in your ride. At Uber, we understand the importance of every rider’s belonging and are committed to providing a seamless experience. Our Lost and Found Index allows us an opportunity to inform and educate our riders about the in-app options available to retrieve lost items. We encourage riders to check their belongings before the ride ends, but in case you lose something, know that we’ve got your back”

The best way to retrieve an item people may have left in a vehicle is to call the driver. They have to tap “Their Trips” and select the trip where they left something, scroll down and tap “Find lost item” and tap “Contact driver about a lost item”.

Then scroll down and enter the phone number they would like to be contacted at and tap submit.

If ride users lost their phone, they have to enter a friend’s phone number instead (they can do this by logging into their account on a computer or using a friend’s phone). Their phone will ring and connect them directly with their driver’s mobile number.

If the driver picks up and confirms that the lost item has been found, coordinate a mutually convenient time and place to meet to collect the lost item.

If the driver doesn’t pick up, leave a detailed voicemail describing the item and the best way to contact the ride users.