An urgent proposal calling for a comprehensive study into Bahrain’s fast-growing delivery driver sector is set to be debated in Parliament today.
The motion, submitted by five MPs led by Strategic Thinking Bloc spokesman Khalid Bu Onk, urges the government to assess the labour market’s actual need for delivery drivers and introduce regulations to better organise the activity.
The proposal points to the swift growth of delivery services, fuelled by e-commerce platforms and mobile applications, but warns that the sharp rise in the number of drivers may have outpaced real market demand, leading to economic and regulatory challenges.
Mr Bu Onk said the issue had become impossible to ignore.
“We are witnessing an uncontrolled expansion in this sector,” he said. “The number of delivery drivers on the road today raises serious questions about whether the market truly needs all of them. Without regulation, this could harm workers, consumers and the labour market as a whole.”
Mr Bu Onk
He claimed that oversupply could lead to falling incomes for drivers, unhealthy competition and the emergence of irregular practices as workers struggle to secure sufficient orders.
“This is not about restricting opportunity,” he added. “It is about organising it based on accurate data so that supply matches demand and the sector remains sustainable.”
The proposal calls on the government to conduct a scientific study using up-to-date indicators to determine how many drivers are actually required, examine licensing mechanisms and evaluate how the sector currently operates.
Parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee chairman and Strategic Thinking Bloc president Ahmed Al Salloom said the initiative was directly linked to labour market efficiency.
Mr Al Salloom
“We need clear policies governing licensing, numbers and work mechanisms in this sector,” he said. “This will protect both citizens and expatriate workers while ensuring the quality of service provided to the public.”
He noted that delivery services had become an essential part of daily life, making it even more important that the sector be more properly managed.
Committee vice-chairwoman Zainab Abdulamir stressed the social and economic dimensions of the issue.
Ms Abdulamir
“Many people depend on this work as their primary source of income,” she said. “If the market is saturated, everyone suffers. A proper study will help us reach fair solutions that balance opportunity with sustainability.”
MP Hisham Al Awadhi said the proposal also aimed to curb potential violations resulting from regulatory gaps.
Mr Al Awadhi
“In the absence of clear controls, some practices may fall outside legal frameworks,” he said. “Organising the sector protects the country, the workers and the consumers.”
Meanwhile, MP Mohammed Al Maarafi highlighted the importance of long-term planning.
Mr Al Marafi
“This is about anticipating a problem before it worsens,” he said. “We must rely on data and planning, not reactions after the damage is done.”
MPs argue that the urgency stems from the sector’s continuous expansion and the possible economic and social consequences of failing to regulate it in time.
If approved, the proposal would task the government with producing a detailed assessment and laying the groundwork for regulatory solutions, including reviewing licensing policies and the current number of drivers operating across the kingdom.
Supporters believe the move will help restore balance between supply and demand, ensure fairness in job distribution and safeguard the stability of a sector that has quickly become a backbone of modern consumer life in Bahrain.
Meanwhile, the same group of MPs has called for action against businesses and companies that allegedly dismiss Bahraini employees following the expiry of wage support provided by Tamkeen or directly by the government.
They are also proposing the employment of qualified Bahrainis in civil service positions to replace employees who leave due to retirement or other reasons.
In addition, the MPs have submitted an urgent proposal urging the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) to take action against any bank, financial institution, or credit card provider that implements unregulated measures or procedures against cardholders.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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