BMU Introduces ‘EkPay’ for Cashless Medical Bills and Fees
Medical service bills and various fees at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) can now be paid online, as the university has integrated the national payment platform ‘EkPay’ to modernise and cashless its financial transaction system. The move is expected to significantly reduce the need for students, patients, and service recipients to stand in long queues at bank booths to make payments.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed on Wednesday, January 28, at Shaheed Dr Milton Hall of BMU between the university authorities and the Aspire to Innovate (a2i) Programme of the Information and Communication Technology Division. The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser in charge of the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology.
Under this initiative, bills and fees can now be paid anytime and from anywhere using mobile banking, debit or credit cards, internet banking, and e-wallets, with the Ek Pay platform providing the necessary technical support.
Speaking as the chief guest, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb said that there is no alternative to digitalisation in making healthcare and education systems paperless and automated. He noted that the introduction of EkPay would reduce patient suffering and make service delivery faster and more efficient. Emphasising the importance of data interoperability, he said a structured system is needed to manage health-related information from birth to death, which would play a crucial role in research and innovation.
In his remarks as chair, BMU Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Md Shahinul Alam said ensuring improved and modern healthcare services for patients is the university’s top priority. With the support of a2i, BMU’s financial management system will become more transparent and modern, and the university will continue to work jointly to further advance this initiative, he added.
a2i Project Director Md Abdur Rafiq said that the use of the EkPay gateway would help bring university services closer to people’s doorsteps. He described it as an effective step towards building a cashless and citizen-friendly Bangladesh, which would reduce patients’ time, costs, and overall inconvenience.
Abdullah Al Fahim, Head of Programme Management at a2i, said that under the new system, service recipients and students will no longer need to visit banks at specific times and stand in queues to pay bills. Instead, they will be able to securely pay medical service fees and other charges digitally from home or any location. This will not only save time but also reduce unnecessary crowding and harassment. At the same time, internal financial transaction management at the hospital will become easier, faster, and more transparent, making the overall service delivery process more dynamic.
Organisers said that an effective and reliable digital payment system is essential to ensuring modern healthcare services. Through this initiative, patients’ time, costs, and suffering will be significantly reduced, while access to medical services will become easier. In addition, transparency and accountability in Bangladesh Medical University’s financial management will increase, enabling a more modern and integrated digital system. In the long term, this initiative is expected to play a vital role in building a citizen-friendly, efficient, and sustainable healthcare management system.
Among others present at the event were Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr Md Abul Kalam Azad, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) Professor Dr Md Mujibur Rahman Howlader, Treasurer Professor Nahreen Akhtar, Head of Communications Mohammad Safiul Azam, EkPay Consultant Mohammad Shahadat Hossain, Programme Implementation Officer Uchen Angsha, senior officials concerned, as well as departmental heads and physicians of the university.
DBTech/MM/EK/OR
