Bangladesh Bank has told all banks, mobile financial service providers, payment service providers and payment system operators to create a special Cashless Bangladesh Unit at their head offices, in a move designed to reduce cash use and bring digital payments closer to people at the grassroots. The central bank said each bank must set up a unit with at least four officers besides the head, while MFS, PSP and PSO firms must have at least two officers in their units. The bank also set clear roles for coordination, data work and reporting, including a focal point officer for contact with Bangladesh Bank and an assistant focal point officer to handle data collection, analysis, report writing and internal coordination. The units must be in place by 31 March, and each company has to send a forwarding letter signed by its managing director or CEO to the relevant department of the central bank. The new setup is expected to do more than just manage paperwork. It will be responsible for building and updating roadmaps and target-based plans to grow digital payments through Bangla QR, point-of-sale machines, online transfers and card transactions. It will also push faster merchant onboarding through Bangla QR across the country and monitor customer registration and merchant growth at branch level through the institution’s own apps. Training is another major part of the plan, with the units asked to arrange programmes that improve staff skills and help them better support customers. Public awareness campaigns, seminars and promotions are also part of the job so that more people understand how to use digital transactions safely and with confidence. Customer protection is a key goal, along with complaint handling, risk reduction and stronger internal controls. The units are also expected to help design sector-based supply chain payment models, which could support a wider digital payment ecosystem. Each year, the progress of these efforts must be reported to the board and shared with Bangladesh Bank. The central bank wants the initiative to improve coordination with ministries, local administrations, city corporations, municipalities and trade groups, so that cashless services can grow in a more organized way and reach more people across the country.
