Uber rides now come with extra charges

Every night after office, journalist Shaila Masud takes Uber’s CNG-run auto-rickshaw service to return home. Her fare from Karwan Bazar to her residence in Mohammadpur usually ranges between Tk 205 and Tk 220. Standard auto-rickshaw fares outside Uber remain roughly similar. Still, she prefers Uber for its relative safety and built-in location-sharing feature.

However, since a fuel crisis began in the country in March, she has been facing increasing difficulties with the ride-hailing app.

Sharing her experience, she said, “Now it’s almost impossible to get a CNG on Uber. After trying for a while, the app shows it is an unusual situation and asks whether I want to add extra fare. And that’s not Tk 10 or 20. The options come as Tk 50 or Tk 75. But the fare for this short distance should not be this high.”

Shaila is not alone. Many users are facing difficulties getting rides when needed on ride-hailing apps. Only those willing to pay more than the standard fare are getting vehicles—something that was never supposed to happen.

Expressing frustration, Abu Noman said, “Digital services have now turned completely analog. Not only is it hard to get a vehicle, but this trap of extra charges has made passengers’ suffering even worse.”

On social media, especially in Facebook groups, app users have been raising a range of complaints.

One user wrote that a driver demanded double the app-based fare and said that even after filing a complaint with Uber’s support center, no remedy was provided.

Another user reported that drivers are turning off their apps and negotiating directly for trips, taking advantage of passenger difficulties and effectively holding them hostage.

A victim wrote, “The app shows Tk 200, but the driver calls and demands Tk 400! If you refuse, they say there’s no gas. Does Uber no longer follow any rules?”

Due to the ongoing fuel crisis in the country, ride-hailing services are already facing a shortage of cars and motorcycles. Rising fuel prices and difficulties in fuel availability have also led many vehicle owners to keep their cars in garages, relying instead on Uber or Pathao. As a result, dependence on ride-hailing platforms has increased, while the number of available vehicles has decreased. Taking advantage of this shortage, many drivers are now operating off-app rides and charging higher fares.

To understand why extra fares are being demanded, Agamir Shomoy spoke with several app-based drivers.

They said a significant portion of their day is spent waiting at fuel stations to collect petrol or CNG. As a result, their daily trip count has dropped and their income has fallen by nearly half. To recover these losses, they are demanding higher fares through direct deals or off-app arrangements.

In some cases, drivers accept a ride and then call passengers to confirm the destination, demanding additional money or ‘tips’. If passengers refuse, drivers often force them to cancel the trip.

Overall, the fuel crisis has created a chaotic situation in the ride-hailing sector. While companies maintain profitability by adding various fees within their apps, both passengers and drivers are facing growing difficulties.

Communication expert and Professor at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) Hadiuzzaman said ride-hailing services are not operated in this manner in any other country in the world.

He referred to the original concept behind ride-hailing services, explaining that they were introduced primarily to reduce congestion and save time. The idea was that one person commuting to work could share a ride with another passenger, allowing both to reach their destinations using a single vehicle instead of two.

“However, in Bangladesh, the system has changed. Many unemployed individuals have taken ride-sharing as a full-time profession. As a result, they are not following Uber’s fare regulations, and the number of vehicles on the road has also increased,” Hadiuzzaman said.

To address the growing crisis in the ride-hailing sector, he recommended two key measures. First, all vehicles associated with Uber should be brought under a monitoring system. Second, vehicles operated by drivers treating Uber as a profession should be brought under Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) coverage, so that if any driver stays off the app for an extended period, legal measures can be taken.

He also urged passengers to increase awareness, noting that taking rides outside the app or cancelling trips mid-way can be harmful for both passengers and drivers.

Meanwhile, attempts to contact Uber authorities regarding widespread complaints revealed that there is no direct communication channel available from Bangladesh. It was learned that Benchmark PR handles Uber’s strategic communications, brand storytelling and digital engagement in Bangladesh.

The manager of the organization, Imran Hossain Milan, said he was unable to provide any comment on the matter. Speaking to Agamir Shomoy, he said, “We actually act as a medium. I am forwarding your questions to Uber’s main office via email. If they are willing to respond and provide an answer, we will share it with you.”

He could not provide any indication of how long a response might take. Instead, he said, “Uber may respond, may not respond, or may respond even after a month.”

Passengers in Bangladesh and regular Uber users expect that relevant government authorities, including the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), will strengthen monitoring to curb such irregularities. They also believe that proper enforcement of ride-hailing regulations, an accessible complaint mechanism, and action based on complaints should be ensured.

Otherwise, they warn, globally popular ride-hailing services may lose trust in Bangladesh and turn into a source of added suffering rather than convenience.