Name: Chandan Das

ID: 2221907630
ENG 105
Section: 16
Assignment: Outline
Date: 08-06-23
Research Topic: The Impact of Pathao’s Ride Sharing Service on The Daily Life of People
in Dhaka

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Due to its packed streets and traffic congestion, Dhaka, the vibrant city of Bangladesh, suffers
major difficulties. While Dhaka residents lead busy lifestyles, they frequently encounter delays
owing to the city's unstable transportation system. In Dhaka, the public transportation system is
rife with troubles, particularly for women who routinely deal with safety concerns and instances
of sexual harassment. Although some steps have been done to resolve these difficulties, there are
still significant challenges that exist.
However, the arrival of internet ride-sharing services has significantly altered how citizens of
Dhaka live their everyday lives. Prior to this, the city lacked any major online ride-sharing
systems. Since they arrived, these services have completely changed how people commute in
Dhaka, offering an alternative to congested public transportation and guaranteeing a safer and
more pleasant journey. Ride-sharing services have proven to be especially helpful for working
women in Dhaka since they enable them to reconcile obligations to their families and careers
while also traveling in more comfort.
Leading ride-sharing startup Pathao has been instrumental in making these services more well-
known in Dhaka. As ride-sharing has gained popularity in Dhaka, a sizable portion of consumers
have taken use of Pathao's services around the city. Due to its dedication to safety and cost,
Pathao has become particularly well-liked among working women. Pathao has earned a
reputation as a reliable alternative for commuters in Dhaka by offering a safe and pleasant
transportation option at competitive pricing.
It is essential for the government to work with firms providing such services given the potential
for online ride-sharing services to alleviate the continuing traffic problem. The government may
augment their current efforts to address traffic concerns in Dhaka by assisting and collaborating
with these businesses. Accepting ride-sharing services as a component of a holistic approach will
not only enhance the quality of life for people of Dhaka, but will also help the city develop a
more effective and sustainable transportation system.
This study intends to investigate how Pathao's ride-sharing service affects Dhaka residents'
everyday life. We want to comprehend how commuter patterns, safety perceptions, and general
quality of life in Dhaka have been impacted by ride-sharing services through user surveys, data
analysis, and consideration of the social and economic repercussions. We want to emphasize the
potential of online ride-sharing services in reducing traffic congestion and helping to create a
more efficient urban transportation system in Dhaka by examining these elements.

2.0 BACKGROUND
App-based ride-sharing service is getting popular in Bangladesh and they mostly operating their
business in the Dhaka city, Dhaka is offering a massive consumer base to the ride-sharing
companies, with increasing incomes and penetration in internet service made the city an
attractive place for the companies, Ahsan (2018). Dhaka city is a city which is consider to be the
worst city in the world by outsider people, though Bangladesh has become a middle-income
country due to a massive economic boom. Besides that, the largest population of the country is
young people with almost 65% of the country are below the age of 25 and they gradually
increasing the use of smartphone among them (MongoDB, n.d.).
The city with the worst traffic jams in the world, Dhaka didn’t have any mass rapid transit until
2023 with a very few useable public buses. It’s often gets difficult to pass through the crowds of
men for the female commuters in order to get a seat or a place to stand. The sexual harassment
rate is very high in these public transports and to solve the problem government has implied a
rule that at the front of the bus nine seats will be reserved for the women, children and the people
with special needs but the rule is consistently violated by male commuters (Bangladeshi Women
Turn to Woman-Only Ride-Sharing App for Safety, 2018).
UNB has declared that currently Pathao is charging the lowest rate of commission in Bangladesh,
by that Pathao drives can maximize their earnings. Pathao has stated that they are trying to make
the ride-sharing service more reliable for the users (Business Inspection BD, 2021).
The purpose of this research proposal is to examine the effects of Pathao, a well-liked ride-
sharing service in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The study focuses on how Pathao improves Dhaka
residents' daily life by being convenient and affordable. It looks into customer experiences and
seeks to offer insightful information on the advantages and drawbacks of utilizing Pathao.
The study also looks at Pathao's larger societal effects, specifically how it has affected Dhaka's
transportation infrastructure. The study seeks to contribute to a more effective transportation
system and enhance Dhaka's overall quality of life by comprehending its impacts on traffic
congestion and public transit use.