Fintech Forward: International Payments via Local Platforms Within Months
Users will be able to access international payment services through domestic fintech platforms within the next couple of months. This indication was given by Rehan Asif Asad, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, at the opening ceremony of National Demo Day 2026, held on Tuesday, 7 April, at the Shail Parbat Auditorium of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation in Agargaon.
He said that the World Bank is working on digital asset management and valuation, while Bangladesh is addressing challenges in the payment system. “Although this will not be resolved overnight, we are working on both policy and technology to develop this ecosystem. We hope this will bring a solution. Whether Stripe or PayPal comes later will be seen. Our aim is to build a sustainable ecosystem where everything can be done seamlessly. Through this, whatever exists globally will be accessible to us—we will not need to go elsewhere,” he added.
The adviser noted that this initiative would resolve long-standing challenges faced by startups and freelancers. He further said that with the support of technology, entrepreneurs can now deliver their products or services to any part of the world. “This is the right time for Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to enter the global market. We are working to build the startup ecosystem and policy framework to achieve that goal. We are committed to elevating the ICT sector to global standards and ensuring that financing becomes easily accessible through a simplified process,” he said.
At the event, Engineer Rehan Asif Asad also emphasized the importance of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into all types of entrepreneurial activities.
Chaired by Kazi Anowar Hossain, Secretary of the ICT Division, the event featured a welcome address by Monjur Mohammad Shahriar, Project Director of the DEIED project. Special guests included Jean Pesme, Division Director of the World Bank (Bangladesh and Bhutan); Mohammad Anwar Uddin, Managing Director of the Hi-Tech Park Authority; and Hosne Ferdous Sumi, Senior Private Sector Specialist at the World Bank.
According to sources, entrepreneurs from seven sectors—IT and ITES, retail and e-commerce, SDG impact, education and arts and culture, fashion and textile, food and agriculture, and healthcare—are presenting their products and business ideas to local and international investors, banks, venture capital firms, and financial institutions. Around 200 entrepreneurs from different districts across the country are participating in the event.
In his remarks, ICT Secretary Kazi Anowar Hossain said, “Bangladesh’s startup ecosystem stands at a critical turning point. With the right combination of policy support, investment flow, and innovation, we can make this sector sustainable and globally competitive.”
In his welcome speech, DEIED Project Director Monjur Mohammad Shahriar said, “I have observed that Bangladesh does not lack ideas; rather, the gap lies in mindset. Our startup culture has not yet fully developed. But the day we learn to start small and think big, our initiatives will scale and transform the country.”
Under the Startup and Scaleup Program of the ICT Division’s Digital Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem Development (DEIED) project, the three-day event features 1,091 participating startups, of which 302 are presenting demos. Panel discussions are also being held. On the first day, a panel session titled “Bangladesh Startups at a Turning Point: Policy, Capital and Confidence in 2026” took place, alongside sectoral pitching in IT solutions, software, services, and apps.
On the second day, 8 April, pitching sessions for food, agriculture, and agritech will be held from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm; education, arts, and culture from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm; and healthcare and healthtech from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. On 9 April, sustainable products and services pitching will take place from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, followed by fashion, textile, and apparel tech from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. Retail, wholesale, and e-commerce pitching will be held from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm, and the event will conclude with a closing ceremony from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
DBTech/ZUI/EK/OR
