Uber has been transforming the mobility landscape of Bangladesh since its launch in 2016, during which it has served more than 4 million riders and created livelihood opportunities for over 175,000 driver partners. 

As Bangladesh aims to transition from an LDC (Least Developed Country) and receive official Developing Country status by 2024, Uber remains committed to Bangladesh’s socioeconomic growth by creating livelihood opportunities for hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis. 

As the first ridesharing company to commence operations in Bangladesh, Uber has dedicated its technology to innovate and integrate products that match the pulse of Bangladesh and power smart, efficient and safe mobility in the country. 

Product innovations for the New Normal 

Since a nationwide lockdown was lifted, Uber has launched multiple new services for supporting the needs of its riders. These include Uber Connect, the package delivery service, which enables customers to transport packages from the safety of their homes and Uber Rentals, which allows riders to book affordable multi-hour, multi-stop options to travel in the new normal.

Launching Secure Digital Payments 

In August this year, we announced a partnership with bKash to provide contactless payment options for riders to help sustain physical distancing. Emerging from a global pandemic, the company sees the partnership as a step towards keeping everyone who uses the Uber Platform safe by making the payment process contactless, cashless and secure.

Leveraging Technology to offer safety solutions 

Over the past few months, Uber’s tech and safety teams have been working overtime to build a new product experience for helping riders feel safe, every time they use Uber. The company has launched comprehensive tech enabled safety measures that include an interactive Go Online Checklist, a mandatory mask policy, and industry first pre-trip mask verification selfies, for both riders and drivers. 

Additionally, Uber also announced the launch of its 24×7 safety helpline in November, which allows riders to get in touch with Uber’s safety team for an urgent, non-emergency issue, such as reporting a dispute with a driver or a break-down, while on a trip. The safety line is in addition to the in-app SOS 999 button already available in the safety toolkit, which allows riders to connect to law enforcement authorities in case of an emergency.

Through its technological expertise, impactful partnerships and product innovation, Uber aims to support Bangladesh’s road to recovery and help the country build back better after the pandemic.