The rise of gig work is reshaping the labor market by offering flexibility and new employment opportunities through temporary, part-time, and contract-based arrangements driven by digital platforms. Advances in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), globalization, automation, and remote work flexibility have accelerated this shift, providing workers with independence and employers with cost savings. Sectors such as freelancing, delivery services, and ridesharing dominate this landscape. However, the gig economy also generates challenges, including income instability, lack of labor protections, unsafe conditions, and limited long-term security. Women, though attracted by its flexibility, face additional struggles such as wage gaps, harassment, constrained decision-making, and patriarchal barriers. In Bangladesh, about one million gig workers play a vital role in sustaining online platforms but continue to experience low wages, poor working conditions, and the absence of safety nets. Despite their growing contribution, empirical research on their living experiences remains limited. This study explored how gig workers in Bangladesh navigate their work, lives, and livelihoods. Drawing on qualitative methods, 14 in-depth interviews were conducted with gig workers in Bangladesh. Data were transcribed, translated, and analyzed thematically. Findings revealed that while workers are motivated by income opportunities and flexibility, they face precarity due to unstable earnings, uncertain futures, and lack of social protections. Gendered dynamics further restrict women’s participation and expose them to risks. The study highlights the urgent need for policy interventions to ensure labor rights, protections, and sustainable opportunities for Bangladesh’s growing gig workforce.
Billah et al. (Sat,) studied this question.