Arif's body is burning with a high fever. Carrying a heavy bag on his shoulders, he is off to a customer's home to deliver food. His body is giving up, yet he keeps paddling on his bicycle.
"Don't know if I'll get to eat tonight, so I'm still working today," the Foodpanda rider told Stream.
Arif is not alone in his misery. Thousands of young people scattered across the alleyways of the city, who work for Foodpanda, Foodi, Pathao and other lesser-known platforms as "freelancers" find themselves wound up in the same fate.
They are part of the gig economy, an economy which runs on a pool of temporary and freelance labour, working at its most vulnerable and neglected tier.
Earnings and Expenses of Riders
Depending on the company, riders receive between Tk 19 and Tk 49 per delivery. The amount varies depending on the time of the day the order is placed and the distance traversed by the riders.
Mohammad Jafar, a Foodpanda rider from Thakurgaon, shares a room in Dhaka's Mogbazar with three others, which costs Tk 11,000 a month. He told Stream, "We're paid delivery charges under a 'batch system'. There are six batches, ranging from 1 to 6. If you perform well, you climb to a higher batch. There, the delivery charge is also a bit more."
Performance is rated by customer reviews, delivery time, number of deliveries, cancellations, and work hours, according to insiders.
Asked about his usual earnings, Jafar said, "The delivery distance for each order is around two kilometres. I usually get Tk 30 per order, sometimes less than that. It drops even lower when we get multiple orders from the same restaurant at the same time. Maybe Tk 30 for the first, then just Tk 15 or 17 for the latter second. And if we manage 16 deliveries a day, we get a Tk 70 bonus."
Bangladeshi companies offer slightly higher delivery fees compared to Foodpanda, but they receive fewer orders.
Noor Muhammad, a rider for Pathao, said, "We don't get less than Tk 40 per delivery. If you're in Batch 1, you get a bit more. That's better than Foodpanda."
Sumon, a rider for Foodi, said, "Our batch is assigned weekly based on performance review. The minimum delivery charge in Batch 6 is Tk 42, and Tk 49 in Batch 1. Aside from that, Foodi gives weekly bonuses."
Foodpanda: Same brand, different standards
Foodpanda, a subsidiary of Germany-based company Delivery Hero, is currently doing business in 11 countries.
It launched its operations in Bangladesh in 2013 and benefited from being an early entrant. This first-mover advantage allowed Foodpanda to quickly establish dominance, making it the largest online food delivery platform in the country today, which also offers groceries from Pandamart and other grocery shop partnerships.
In countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and various parts of Europe, Foodpanda provides health insurance, accident compensation, and even guarantees a minimum income for its riders. In some cases, it also covers fuel costs.
However, in Bangladesh, the picture the riders paint is different, saying they are unaware of any such benefit existing.
Mohammad Solaiman, a Foodpanda rider, told Stream, "Foodpanda doesn't offer any insurance or allowances. We only earn for what we deliver. I've never heard of anyone getting any benefit outside that."
Sujon Ghosh, who has been working as a Foodpanda rider since 2019, recounted an incident,"Not long ago, I was passing through Mouchak with an order, when my bicycle accidentally brushed against a pedestrian. The man beat me up for that. When I protested, his companions jumped in."
When asked how Foodpanda responded, Sujon said, "They just told me to take some rest when I reported the incident to the office. They took no other action. Nor did I receive any compensation. Foodpanda doesn't even have a system for that."
Riders and Foodpanda at a face-off
Foodpanda Bangladesh's Head of Affairs and Public Relations, Zahedul Islam, told Stream, "To make healthcare more affordable and accessible for our delivery partners, Foodpanda has signed a MoU with Grameen Digital Healthcare Solutions under the health initiative's 'Sukhi' brand. As a result, delivery partners can access telemedicine and insurance services at special discounts. In addition, they can receive up to 40% off at various hospitals and diagnostic centres across the country."
However, at least 20 Foodpanda riders told Stream they are unaware of the "Sukhi" brand.
Saidul Islam, a student who works part-time with Foodpanda, said, "I work around six to seven hours a day, earning about Tk 8,000 to 10,000 a month. Beyond that, I don't know anything about Sukhi, insurance, or any other benefits. We usually contact Foodpanda through the app regarding these issues."
A rider from Dhaka's Uttara zone, on condition of anonymity, said, "After hearing you mention Sukhi, I checked all the notices in the app. I found no updates about it. I also spoke to my fellow riders, they don't know anything about it either. None of them is aware of any insurance."
No insurance benefits on Pathao, Foodi
Neither Pathao nor Foodi provide riders with accident compensation, sick leave allowances, or any form of insurance coverage.
Sumon, a rider for Foodi, said, "I never receive any insurance or allowance benefits. If a customer is generous, I occasionally get tips beyond my regular pay. I'm not sure whether Foodi offers insurance at all."
Noor Muhammad, a Pathao rider, vented, "There's no such thing as insurance. I work all day and sleep at night, nothing more!"
Speaking to Stream on the issue, Foodi's Chief Operating Officer (COO) Mohammad Shahnewaz Mannan said, "If a rider needs an accident or medical support, Foodi helps them on humanitarian grounds. However, this benefit is not permanent, nor applicable to all, nor is it compulsory on the company's behalf."
What labour law says
The maximum working time stipulated in Bangladesh's labour law is eight hours a day. It also mandates one mandatory day off a week and extra pay for working overtime.
However, since delivery persons are classified as "freelancers", they are not covered by these protections. Which means there are no fixed working hours or a guarantee of minimum income. As a result, many riders end up working 11 to 12 hours a day.
Zahedul Islam, Head of Affairs and Public Relations at Foodpanda Bangladesh, told Stream, "Our riders work as freelancers on our platform. That means they have full liberty to choose their working hours. They can also work for multiple platforms if they wish. Before accepting an order, riders can see how much they will earn from it."
Meanwhile, Foodi's COO Mohammad Shahnewaz Mannan said, "Foodi hires its riders as freelancers and on a contract basis. Therefore, they do not fall under conventional labour laws. However, the sector is gradually moving toward a formal structure. Discussions are underway among policymakers about the applicability of labour laws."
What experts say
Farukh Faisal, executive director of Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), told Stream, "There is a lack of supervision. There is a government failure. A company provides benefits abroad, but not a single one can be accessed in Bangladesh. That means we haven't been able to claim our fair share."
"Our trade unions must become more independent. They need to work free from any political pressure. They have to work with delivery persons and people in similar professions," he added.
Worker rights activist Manzur Moin said, "Paid leave and minimum income guarantees must be ensured. These are basic workers' rights. But most riders don't know what labour law is or how it works. As a result, companies run their businesses however they please in our country."
Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua said, "If the law is properly enforced, economic disparity will decrease significantly. As long as riders are excluded from benefits because they are 'freelancers', this problem will not be solved."
No comments from Pathao despite repeated attempts
Attempts were made to contact Pathao for over a month regarding these issues, but the company has yet to respond.
Since early July, Stream repeatedly called Pathao's Public Relations Officer, Fayez Faisal, but the calls went unanswered.
Moreover, calls to Pathao's hotline numbers, followed by an email, only drew elusive responses saying the authorities would get in touch. But it was of no avail.
Most recently, on Saturday (August 9), Stream visited the address listed on the Pathao Food website. The staff present there said public relations matters are handled by the head office, which remains closed on Fridays and Saturdays. Stream was then referred to Sajeeb Saha, assistant manager (legal action), who too repeated the trite phrase, saying the authorities would reach out.
Again, no contact followed.
After several more calls, PR Officer Fayez Faisal eventually phoned back only to say it was a holiday and no one was authorised to comment.
"Only the CEO of Pathao can comment on this. Even the head of Pathao Food is not allowed to speak on this issue," he added, after making the reporter wait throughout the day.
Foodpanda riders on protest
Meanwhile, Foodpanda riders have called for demonstrations demanding a minimum delivery charge of TK 40 among other issues. A three-day programme is being organised through various Facebook and Telegram groups of the riders.
Their schedule includes a suspension of work on August 10, a bicycle rally on August 11, and a complete shutdown on August 12.
Their other demands include they should receive a minimum of tk 40 per order when there are multiple orders from Pandmart—with appropriate addition made based on distance, no reduction in delivery charges if a second order arrives while one is still in progress, elimination of the batch system, charges shouldn't vary between riders for a five-kilometer delivery range, and full payment to riders even if an order is canceled.
Nirob, a rider active in the Gulshan zone, told Stream, "When we get two orders at once, the delivery charge is reduced. If an order is cancelled, we get no payment, we have to sweat our brows nonetheless. Also, tips given online are deducted as well. We are protesting against these issues."
Riders who speak out against Foodpanda have their IDs banned, said Nirob.
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