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The ride-sharing industry is still expanding and the opportunities in a market like Bangladesh are immense. It can play a vital role in fulfilling the Smart Bangladesh vision, Armanur Rahman, Head of Bangladesh and East India, Uber, said in an email interview with The Business Post’s Shamim Ahmed
What are the present conditions and prospects of the current ride-sharing industry?
We have been operating in Bangladesh since 2016 and we have witnessed how the industry has evolved and matured over recent years. There are many players in the market and these mobility choices have transformed how people commute daily.
The ridesharing industry is still expanding and the opportunities in a market like Bangladesh are immense. As smartphones and mobile data become cheaper and digitisation of services and products penetrates tier two and tier three markets, we will see the demand swell further.
We also find that the demand for flexible work is growing. For instance, over the past five years, Uber has created livelihood opportunities for over 200,000 people in Dhaka and beyond. With more new cities joining the list we remain committed to creating livelihood opportunities for hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis and accelerating its economic revival. Ridesharing can play a vital role in fulfilling the vision for Smart Bangladesh.
How the multinational tech company Uber is doing in Bangladesh?
Like many industries, our industry too was adversely impacted during the pandemic. But the worst seems to be over and there is resurgent demand which is helping drive growth. We have recently expanded our services to 20 cities across the country. We launched Moto in Gazipur and Natore, our 19th and 20th cities respectively. With a wide range of two, three and four-wheeled product portfolios to suit different use cases such as rental, CNG, intercity, connect, Moto etc., commuting across cities has never been easier and simpler. We are just getting started and we hope to continue working towards achieving many more milestones in the future.
How has the recent fuel price hike affected Uber and its riders?
We are constantly observing the market dynamics and assessing the impact of the recent price hikes on our riders and customers. After careful evaluation, we will decide on the next steps. We also wholeheartedly welcome the government’s decision to cut fuel prices, easing pressure on people.
As far as other challenges are concerned, we are working on reducing long wait times and driver-induced cancellations and are already seeing some progress through a range of new features we have introduced recently. To remove frustration for riders and drivers alike, Uber now shows trip destinations to drivers upfront before they decide to accept the ride. It is also showing drivers the mode of payment (cash or online) before the trip starts. This enables the drivers to choose a cash-only ride if that is what they need. Through the introduction of these new features, the long-time complaints of passengers and drivers regarding ride cancellations are gradually decreasing.
Additionally, we strongly discourage off-platform trips as these have no accountability or safety support for either riders or drivers. We are committed to enhancing our users’ experience on our platform and rely on two-way feedback.
How does Uber deal with the complaints it receives both from passengers and riders?
We have a robust complaint redressal mechanism in place and we stay firmly committed to offering a magical experience on our platform to both riders and drivers. For every complaint raised, we follow a structured process where we first confirm the veracity of the complaint, gather relevant information from all parties and then take appropriate action promptly.
What types of additional support do ridesharing companies need from the government?
The Government of Bangladesh has always been supportive of the needs of the ridesharing industry. Within a few months, the government formulated a draft ridesharing policy and soon afterwards, it was finalised and notified as a gazette.
We feel the government understands the needs of the industry and formulates enabling policy accordingly. We are looking forward to working with various stakeholders including the government to discourage offline trips solicited by drivers after being connected with riders online through ridesharing platforms.
We want to create awareness of the safety risks involved in such rides as none of the safety features offered by the platform is applicable in these cases.
