Bangladesh Bank Cuts Bangla QR Interchange Fee to Zero to Boost Digital Payments
- Zero percent Interchange Reimbursement Fee (IRF) to take effect for all Bangla QR transactions starting October 1
- Central bank directive reduces inter-institutional service charges between banks, PSPs, and MFS operators
- Move expected to drive rapid merchant onboarding and accelerate cashless transactions across the country
DHAKA, August 10, 2026: In a major push toward expanding cashless digital transactions, Bangladesh Bank has set the Interchange Reimbursement Fee (IRF) on all Bangla QR code-based transactions to zero.
The Payment Systems Department-2 of Bangladesh Bank issued a circular letter on Monday (August 10), instructing all scheduled banks, Mobile Financial Services (MFS) providers, Payment Service Providers (PSPs), and Payment System Operators (PSOs) to enforce the revised fee structure.
Under the new directive, effective from October 1, 2026, issuing institutions will no longer receive or charge any service fee or commission from acquiring institutions for processing Bangla QR transactions.
According to the central bank, this decision partially amends the previously issued Payment Systems Department circular from February 6, 2025, and supersedes Circular Letter No. 05 issued on July 1, 2026. All other operational guidelines will remain unchanged.
Previously, on July 1, Bangladesh Bank made it mandatory for merchants to adopt the unified Bangla QR code framework. By eliminating inter-institutional processing fees, financial regulators aim to reduce costs for small merchants and encourage widespread adoption of digital transactions across retail ecosystems.
//DBTech/BNO/SME//
