Bangla QR payments in Bangladesh reached an average daily value of Tk143.54 crore after growing sharply over three months, according to figures reported by local business outlets. From Oct. 1, new Bangladesh Bank measures also set faster settlement and incentives for transactions made through the interoperable code.
The central bank figures show an increase from about 100,000 transactions a day worth more than Tk28 crore in June to roughly 350,000 transactions worth Tk143.54 crore a day by the end of September. The Daily Star reported that transaction counts rose about 3.5 times over the period, while total value climbed nearly fivefold. The Financial Express separately reported the same end-September figures.
Bangladesh Bank’s measures took effect Oct. 1. The Daily Star reported that proceeds from Bangla QR payments are to be settled instantly, replacing a wait that could delay merchants’ access to funds. The Financial Express said the new arrangements remove the mandatory minimum merchant discount rate and waive the interchange reimbursement fee for covered micro and small business transactions.
The change does not mean every merchant will automatically pay nothing. Banks and mobile financial service providers can offer the service free or for a nominal charge, the Daily Star reported, so merchants will need to check the terms offered by their own provider. The central bank’s stated aim is to make acceptance more practical for smaller businesses.
A separate Bangladesh Bank circular sets incentives for Bangla QR payments routed through the National Payment Switch Bangladesh. For eligible transactions up to Tk2,000, the circular provides a 0.10% incentive to the acquiring institution and 0.20% to the issuing institution. The Financial Express reported that the incentive arrangement is intended to encourage banks and payment providers to route more low-value payments through the system.
The network already reaches about 3.9 million merchant points, according to Bangladesh Bank figures cited by The Daily Star. Because Bangla QR is designed to work across participating bank and mobile financial service apps, a merchant can accept a scan from customers using different providers rather than maintaining a separate code for each one.
Bangladesh Bank is also preparing an additional use for the system. The Daily Star and Financial Express reported that person-to-person payments between participating institutions are due to begin on Nov. 1, allowing customers to scan another person’s Bangla QR code or upload its image to initiate a transfer.
The central bank published a separate dispute-resolution circular for merchant transactions on Sept. 27. That guidance takes effect on Dec. 1, according to the official document, giving banks, mobile financial service providers and payment operators a defined process for handling Bangla QR disputes.
The new fee and settlement terms arrive as payment activity expands, but the reported figures describe recent use rather than a guarantee of continued growth. For merchants, the immediate changes are quicker access to proceeds and revised charges; the later dispute rules and person-to-person option add separate steps to Bangladesh Bank’s wider QR payment program.
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