For thousands of women navigating the crowded streets of Dhaka every day, commuting can involve more than traffic jams and long waiting times. Overcrowded buses, unwanted physical contact, fears of sexual harassment and discomfort when travelling with unfamiliar male drivers can make even routine journeys stressful.

A new ride-hailing initiative called Maya Ride is seeking to make those journeys more comfortable by connecting female passengers with women who drive motorcycles and cars.

The idea emerged from conversations between Fahad Chowdhury and his wife, Jannatul Ferdous, about the difficulties women face while travelling around the capital. Jannatul frequently noticed women appearing uncomfortable while riding behind male motorcycle drivers. Having thought about how she might feel in a similar situation, she began considering a service exclusively for women.

When she shared the idea with Fahad, he decided to explore its potential. Drawing on his eight years of experience in data marketing, he launched a website for the platform as an experiment.

“I thought I would try an experiment,” Fahad said.

What began as a small initiative has gradually developed into a service offering motorcycle rides, car transportation and school transport for children.

Both Fahad and Jannatul grew up in Dhaka. Fahad completed his O-levels and A-levels before moving to London for higher education, earning an undergraduate degree in computer science and a master’s degree in data science from Queen Mary University of London. Jannatul is studying for an LLB at London South Bank University.

The couple say they did not initially launch Maya Ride with major commercial ambitions. They wanted to build something alongside their studies and professional commitments that could generate income while addressing a practical social problem.

From Four Riders to Around 70 Women

Maya Ride’s website and Facebook page went live in mid-April 2026. Initially, four female motorcycle riders joined the platform. More women began expressing interest in working with the service, and the network gradually expanded.

Within approximately four months, the number of registered motorcycle riders had grown to around 70, of whom about 30 were actively providing rides.

The platform also began attracting women who wanted to use their own cars to transport female passengers. Around 25 female car drivers are now associated with Maya Ride, although only four to five regularly provide rides, according to the founders.

The response exceeded Fahad and Jannatul’s initial expectations. Despite competition from established services such as Uber and Pathao, the new platform recorded more than 300 motorcycle rides in its first four months.

Some customers quickly became regular users. One early customer booked Maya Ride more than 22 times, while others used the service even more frequently.

‘I Can Travel Without Worrying’

Nuzhat Tabassum, a resident of Shyamoli, is among the platform’s regular customers. She has used Maya Ride more than 30 times while commuting to her workplace in Gulshan-1, where she has regularly travelled since 2023.

Although she owns a car, using it is not always practical. At other times, she has relied on buses, CNG-powered auto-rickshaws and conventional ride-hailing services, encountering difficulties such as traffic congestion, vehicle shortages and concerns about personal comfort and safety.

She learned about Maya Ride from a colleague. After a positive first experience, she began using the service repeatedly.

For Nuzhat, one of the biggest advantages is having a woman behind the handlebars or steering wheel.

“It is true that Maya Ride costs a little more than Pathao or Uber. But the sense of safety and the ability to travel without worrying make the extra expense worthwhile,” she said.

Jannatul acknowledged that Maya Ride’s fares are somewhat higher than those of competing services. She attributed this partly to the limited number of available drivers, which can require riders to travel considerable distances to collect passengers.

The founders hope to reduce fares as the number of women drivers increases. Expanding the rider network is therefore one of their most important priorities.

Safety Checks for Drivers

According to Fahad, Maya Ride collects key information before accepting drivers onto the platform.

Applicants must complete a form on the website and provide their national identity cards, driving licences, photographs, vehicle registration numbers and contact details.

Drivers with very limited experience or recently issued licences are not approved as quickly. Fahad said the platform gives priority to riders with at least one to two years of driving experience.

Riders and customers generally communicate through the platform’s website and Facebook page.

The founders say these procedures are intended to support passenger safety while the service continues to expand.

Car Rides for Daily Commuters

Not every woman is comfortable travelling by motorcycle. In response to customer requests, Maya Ride introduced a car transportation service built around weekly and monthly subscription arrangements.

A car can carry one passenger or a group of three to four women, who are collected from a designated pickup point.

The service offers two monthly packages within Dhaka city.

The Pickup Point package costs approximately Tk 7,300 per month. Passengers meet at an agreed location, making it easier for a driver to collect several customers along a shared route.

The Door-to-Door package costs approximately Tk 9,200 per month and includes pickup and drop-off directly at passengers’ homes.

The founders say the same monthly rates apply regardless of the starting location within Dhaka city.

Because the platform currently has a limited number of car drivers, customers are advised to book several days in advance.

Advance Booking and Transparent Fares

Maya Ride primarily operates through advance bookings rather than an entirely on-demand system.

For motorcycle rides, customers must submit their requests by 10 p.m. on the preceding night. The request is shared with a group of riders, and those available can respond. Once a rider is assigned, the customer is notified and both parties receive each other’s phone numbers.

The rider then arrives at the agreed time and location.

Motorcycle rides do not have weekly or monthly subscription packages. Customers pay the rider in cash after completing the journey, although the fare is communicated in advance.

The platform’s website includes a fare calculator that estimates costs based on the journey’s locations and distance, allowing customers to check the expected price before booking.

Maya Kids: Transport for Schoolchildren

Maya Ride has also expanded beyond adult passengers with a service called Maya Kids, designed to transport schoolchildren between home and school.

For working parents, arranging a child’s daily commute can be difficult. Some cannot always take their children to school themselves, while others may be uncomfortable entrusting them to an unfamiliar driver.

Maya Kids seeks to address those concerns through advance bookings for school drop-offs and pickups.

The service also allows a family member to accompany the child during the journey, helping parents maintain greater oversight of the trip.

Jannatul said the aim is to reduce parents’ worries about school transportation while providing children with a more comfortable travel arrangement. The service had around seven customers at the time of the report.

Building Opportunities for Women Drivers

The initiative has faced several challenges, including shortages of available riders and drivers who have left the service after joining. Some women have also encountered ridicule or discouraging comments because they work as motorcycle or car drivers.

Jannatul said many women were initially reluctant to join because of these social pressures. She and Fahad have tried to encourage them to continue by speaking with them and helping them build confidence.

Maya Ride charges drivers a commission of 10% of their earnings.

For the founders, the project is about more than providing transport. It also creates opportunities for women to earn money by using their driving skills and personal vehicles.

Jannatul believes some women join not only for financial reasons but also because they want to help other women travel more comfortably.

“Women are working with the intention of helping other women. Isn’t that a beautiful thing?” Fahad said.

App Development Planned

Maya Ride currently relies mainly on its website, but Fahad has begun developing a dedicated mobile application to make the service more organised.

The planned app will maintain separate records for passengers and riders and store information about individual journeys. The founders hope this will make bookings and day-to-day operations more systematic.

Fahad said they hoped to launch the app within the next three months.

As Maya Ride grows, its founders aim to increase the number of participating women drivers, make fares more affordable and expand access to its services.

For Jannatul, the larger goal is twofold: to make daily travel more comfortable for women and to create new employment opportunities in a field where female drivers remain relatively uncommon.