Invisible hands behind digital boom

Before the city wakes, Rashed, a 23-year-old delivery rider in Dhaka, is already on the road. Rain, heat, or traffic accidents don't stop him - only exhaustion does. Like thousands of others, he keeps Bangladesh's digital economy running while risking his health, safety, and life. It is work of blood, sweat and sacrifice that no app ever acknowledges.
Bangladesh now has over 1?million gig workers, from ride-sharing drivers to freelancers and delivery riders. Apps promise speed, convenience, and modernity, but behind every click are workers pushing themselves to the limit just to survive in today's economy. Surveys reveal that over 90 per cent fear for their safety, yet most platforms offer no accident insurance. Many sacrifice sleep, ignore injuries, or work 100+ hours per week just to survive. Flexible work has become a euphemism for relentless survival.
This workforce powers a business model designed for efficiency, not fairness. Platforms avoid providing formal employment benefits, rely on algorithms to push performance and penalise delays. Investors celebrate growth, but the human cost remains invisible until accidents, burnout, or public outrage exposes it.
Regulation exists but is weak. Labour laws rarely protect gig workers, and enforcement is inconsistent. Without fair pay, insurance, safe conditions and accountability, Bangladesh's digital economy risks becoming a booming story of profit built on invisible suffering. Rashed's daily struggle is a reminder: behind every tap, click, or delivery lies a human life and progress that ignores them is nothing but a fragile illusion.

Jannatul Mawa
North South University