The ongoing digitalization of services in the country is shaping the way we perform our daily activities. Its positive impact has improved the overall quality of life in many ways. Every now and then, new business models are being introduced for our convenience. Thanks to the government’s Digital Bangladesh initiative, access to goods and services has never been easier. With the pandemic and the lockdowns, our dependability on the system has skyrocketed.
As Digital Bangladesh is still in its early stages, our systems have to depend on human intervention to make it work. This leaves a small “glitch in the system” for some dishonest persons to benefit from. Such greed of a few opportunists is the greatest barrier for comprehensive digitalization. This brings us to the question: Can such corrupt minds ever allow us to be truly digital?
As a regular user of a reputed Mobile Financial Service company in Bangladesh, I can undoubtedly vouch for them for being a game-changer. The technology itself is a blessing that has made our lives hassle-free. We can have access to our money virtually, send or “cash out” whatever amount we require, anytime and anywhere. The agents of this MFS play a vital role in the entire system. For the smooth running of the system, the company had clearly set out the tariffs and limits on their website. It sets a cash out limit of minimum Tk50 to a maximum of Tk25,000 with five transactions per day, if done through an agent. The minimum cash out limit has been intentionally set to such a low amount so that it serves the purpose of the company -- handy in times of emergency.
But, in reality, these agents often do the exact opposite. They won’t let you cash out the minimum amount as has been fixed by the company, rather suggest their own minimum limit. They won’t settle for anything less, no matter how desperate your situation is. I have faced this on at least 10 different occasions where I happened to be cashless and resorted to cash out 100 takas to pay for my commute, but I was turned down every time. This is truly ruining the beauty of this service, and defeating its sole purpose of being a reliable option for the mass.
Then comes an international company which revolutionized the ride sharing business model once and for all. This service allows anyone to hire a driver using their smartphone from any location to travel around the city. Now city-dwellers, mostly women, feel comfortable opting for a ride sharing service regardless of its expense due to it being the safest alternative. Hence, there is a huge demand for such services in the capital. Users get to set their destination and a nearby rider is notified.
One of the salient features of this service is that it doesn’t let a driver know where you are headed until you get into his vehicle and he commences the trip. This is to avoid drivers cherry-picking which rides they take. But some drivers try to bend the system for their own convenience. The moment a ride is booked, the driver calls up the user to ask the destination and if the driver thinks the trip isn’t worth their time -- because they think the trip is too short, too long, or they just don’t want to go to the area -- the drivers won’t pick up the user. Often, after the driver finds out where you are going, they will cancel the ride. Really dishonest drivers will wait until the cancellation period has passed so that you are charged a cancellation fee.
This is strictly against the company’s policies and, as many of us do not bother to report them to the company, they go unnoticed. According to the Ride Sharing Services Guidelines 2017, the driver of a ride-sharing company is bound to transport passengers at any distance and portray gentle behaviour with the passengers. Hence, they are -- not only by the company’s policy, but by law -- bound to take you to your desired destination once they accept your ride.
A reputed local ride sharing company recently started its own food delivery system, which is another appreciable initiative. This has taken the term “prompt delivery” to a new level, and we could not be more satisfied to enjoy hot meals from our favourite restaurants within the comfort of our homes. Ordering food online has become a common norm in the country, thanks to food delivery services like these. With lucrative discounts and buy one get one offers, people would rather stay at home to get their cravings sorted than to travel to dine-ins.
As a regular user, I have no other complaints but one which I believe many others have in common. Usually when you select “cash on delivery” as your option, the delivery man receives the payment and returns you any change that might come from it. But on every occasion, these delivery men complain of not having change, so they conveniently keep the remaining amount to themselves. The company has fixed delivery fees depending on the location, yet they seek that extra.
When you, a hungry customer waiting patiently for your food, are faced with such a situation, you wouldn’t want something as petty as Tk3 to get in between you and your food. But imagine these delivery guys doing this to 50 other hungry people like you, and when it’s not limited to just Tk3. While voluntarily tipping them is another issue, such activity is clearly dishonest and should not go unnoticed.
The collective initiatives of these ambitious companies are contributing to our dream Digital Bangladesh. Their efforts should not go in vain due to the mischief of some. Users of the system should be aware of these people and report them to the concerned authorities at any opportunity.
Barrister Aiman R Khan is an Associate Advocate, Rahman Law Associates & Company.