Amid the bustling traffic of Dhaka, a growing number of women are finding a safer and more comfortable commuting alternative through Maya Ride, a pioneering women-first ride-sharing initiative launched in April. Founded by Fahad Chowdhury and his wife Jannatul Ferdous, the platform was conceived after observing that while numerous women utilize ride-sharing services on motorcycles, many experience significant discomfort when required to travel long distances seated behind unfamiliar male drivers. Driven by the question of how to alleviate this anxiety, the couple initially ran an experimental promotional campaign on Facebook, which immediately drew enthusiastic responses from both female passengers and prospective drivers.
Operating under the slogan Women-First Ride Service, the initiative began with motorcycles and has since expanded to include private cars and car-sharing options. Female drivers on the platform are designated as Mayabi. Despite the surging popularity of the service—particularly in commercial hubs such as Gulshan, Banani, Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, and Bashundhara, where morning rush hours generate peak demand—the platform faces a prominent operational hurdle: the demand from female passengers significantly outpaces the availability of active female drivers.
Among these drivers is Sathi, a pseudonym used to protect her privacy, who began taking rides last July and has completed 38 trips to date. Balancing her responsibilities of caring for a six-year-old daughter and managing household chores, Sathi navigates the chaotic streets of Dhaka whenever her schedule permits, sometimes completing three rides a day or pausing for weeks due to family commitments. Explaining her motivation, Sathi noted that many women feel compelled to share rides with unfamiliar men due to a lack of viable alternatives, prompting her to join Maya to help bridge that gap. Although she experienced initial apprehension on her first day, a passenger's expression of gratitude upon arrival completely dispelled her fears, while her husband's steadfast support has provided her with an invaluable source of strength.
Regular commuters have warmly embraced the service as a welcome relief from previous transit hardships. Anika Salsabil, a frequent passenger who travels from South Banassa to Midas Centre in Dhanmondi, previously relied on CNG-run auto-rickshaws through conventional platforms before discovering Maya on Facebook. Having previously endured unpleasant experiences on public buses and physical discomfort in private cars or auto-rickshaws, Anika now exclusively chooses motorcycles for her daily transit. She emphasized that the primary advantage of having a female driver is the profound peace of mind it provides throughout the entire journey, alongside the practical benefit of reaching her office swiftly when pressed for time.
