Uber bars journalists from asking questions

Uber, the international ride-sharing platform, organized an event titled "Uber's Contribution of 5500 Crore Taka to Bangladesh's Economy in 2024." The event was held on Tuesday (February 18) at an upscale hotel in the capital.

At the beginning of the event, officials from Benchmark PR, who handle Uber's public relation sector, selected specific questions for journalists. They were also instructed not to ask questions outside of the selected ones.

However, disregarding this, the journalists asked various questions about Uber’s registered vehicles, inconsistencies created by Uber over time, Uber's overcharging, and other issues. But this time, Uber officials themselves refused to answer any questions that were not related to the specific topic of the event.

During the time, Mohammad Yasin, Chairman of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, Nashed Ferdous Kamal, Country Head of Uber Bangladesh, and Mohammad Ehsanul Haque, Senior Secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division.

During the event, they shared that a study by the UK-based policy research organization Public First found that Uber contributed 5,500 crore taka to Bangladesh's economy in 2024. The published report highlighted Uber's role in job creation, tourism, and improved mobility, showcasing its economic impact.