Role Played by Rickshaw Pullers in Economy Affected by Pricing Strategies: A Study Based on Selected Cities of Bangladesh

Abstract

In Bangladesh maximum rickshaw-pullers are illiterate and from underprivileged background. They are joining this profession as it is a self-determining occupation and does not necessitate any supplementary expertise. Thus, pulling rickshaw is an easy way for urban and rural poor people to discharge form extreme poverty. With the passage of time rickshaw fare is progressively climbing through years and the reasons are budding prices of diurnal commodities, living costs, repairing and spare parts costs of rickshaw etc. Rickshaw pullers normally upturn fare with rise of such day to day expenditures. In reality, price hike and climbing costs of daily necessities do not craft any negative effect on their living style because with the spare of time and price, they are also leveling the rickshaw fare. But, such case poles apart in terms of aged old rickshaw pullers as they do not get reachable passengers parallel to young and robust rickshaw pullers and consequently their bargaining power is less than the young rickshaw pullers. The primary target of several of the rickshaw pullers is to earn typical profit at first, then they attempt for getting extra income and they only do it for casing average variable cost in early spell. They determine the rate of the fare on the basis of time and distance. Though indirect but the rickshaw pullers have a role in the economy and their role is also affected by their pricing strategy.

Keywords: Rickshaw-puller, Poverty, Fare, Passenger, Average Variable Cost, Bangladesh