Bangladesh Bank Unveils Initiatives to Boost Bangla QR Payment System
Bangladesh Bank has introduced a set of strategies to enhance the adoption of Bangla QR, the nation’s universal QR payment standard, which includes reduced merchant expenses, instant settlement, and incentives for financial entities.
During a media briefing at the central bank’s headquarters in Dhaka, Bangladesh Bank Executive Director and Spokesperson Arief Hossain Khan disclosed that customers of banks and mobile financial services (MFS) now have the capability to utilize their mobile applications to scan Bangla QR codes for transactions at approximately 3.9 million merchant outlets nationwide.
Earlier this year, on April 1, Bangladesh Bank mandated banks and financial service providers to transition from their exclusive QR codes to Bangla QR by June 30 or face penalties.
Since the complete implementation on July 1, the volume of transactions has surged by 3.5 times, with the total value increasing nearly fivefold over the past 90 days.
In June 2026, Bangla QR handled an average of about 100,000 transactions daily, amounting to over Tk 28 crore. Presently, the daily average has escalated to approximately 350,000 transactions, valued at Tk 143.54 crore.
To enhance pricing, marketing, and performance and stimulate broader merchant acceptance, the central bank has rolled out various initiatives. Effective October 1, merchants will receive immediate settlements from all Bangla QR transactions.
Starting on the same date, Bangladesh Bank will eliminate the minimum 1 percent merchant discount rate (MDR) for acquirers and set the interchange reimbursement fee (IRF) for issuers at zero.
MDR represents the fee paid by merchants to acquirers, while IRF is the fee paid by acquirers to issuers.
The central bank stated that these modifications will lower merchant expenses and enable banks and MFS providers to offer the service at no cost or for a nominal fee.
Furthermore, commencing October 1, Bangladesh Bank will provide incentives for Bangla QR payments up to Tk 2,000 processed through the National Payment Switch Bangladesh. Acquirers will obtain incentives of 0.10 percent, while issuers will receive 0.20 percent.
By November 1, customers will also be able to conduct person-to-person transfers across institutions by scanning another customer’s Bangla QR code or uploading an image of it.
The central bank assured that failed transactions will be promptly refunded in adherence to the dispute-resolution guidelines issued on September 27. Customers can also report any concerns via the Bangladesh Bank hotline at 16236.
Meanwhile, an executive committee led by the central bank governor and a steering committee composed of representatives from various ministries and divisions are crafting additional policy measures to promote digital payments.
