In the urban landscape of Bangladesh, digital labor platforms have institutionalized a new form of socio-economic control. This research investigates the mechanisms of Technological Rent and Algorithmic Management through a comparative case study of Uber and Pathao. Using a qualitative investigative framework, the study analyzes how algorithmic architectures dictate labor conditions and extract surplus value. By integrating Durand’s Techno-feudalism and Zuboff’s Surveillance Capitalism, the findings reveal a systemic shift toward ‘Digital Landlordism’. Despite the platform’s narrative of ‘entrepreneurial freedom’, drivers face intense surveillance and economic precarity. The paper concludes with strategic policy recommendations for human rights-based labor reforms in Bangladesh’s gig economy.
the Ride-Sharing Sector of Bangladesh: A Study of Uber and Pathao
Original research articles academia.edu
By Tuhin Sarwar
