COVID-19 impact on travel and work habits of office workers in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has brought unprecedented change to the world. Distancing measures make people find an alternative way to interact with others and fulfill their duty. It is acknowledged that the epidemic has dramatically impacted people's work schedules, which in turn has changed how they travel. Till now very few studies were conducted on this new phenomenon. The purpose of this study is to ascertain how COVID-19 has affected the work schedules and travel habits of office workers in Bangladesh and show the comparative scenario before and during the pandemic. The study is based on primary data. Respondents are surveyed through Google Forms. With the response of 342 respondents, primary data were processed and analyzed. Descriptive analyses were conducted to carry out the output. Inferential analysis was applied somewhere to scrutinize the result. The study reveals that there are significant changes in work patterns and travel patterns of office workers in Bangladesh due to COVID-19. People have shifted from offline to online activities. Travel time and trip frequency per week have been reduced greatly. The usage of the bus has reduced rapidly. Instead, people have started to walk or use a rickshaw, and bicycles. In many cases, offices have provided vehicles. The degree of these changes varies among different socioeconomic groups of people. This study is a useful resource for new policy-making insights and could inspire subsequent research.