Robi and Banglalink customers can now spend up to Tk5,000 a month and Tk50,000 a year on eligible digital purchases through their mobile accounts, following regulatory approval that brings the two operators in line with Grameenphone.
The revised limits, up from Tk2,000 a month and Tk20,000 a year, allow customers to make larger purchases through Direct Operator Billing (DOB), which enables payments using prepaid mobile balances or postpaid bills without requiring a bank account or payment card.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) granted retrospective approval to Robi Axiata PLC and Banglalink Digital Communications Limited on 14 October, making the higher limits effective for six months from 20 July 2026, according to commission documents.
Grameenphone Limited had received the same facility at BTRC’s 310th meeting on 24 August. Robi and Banglalink applied on 25 August, and the regulator extended the facility through letters issued on 13 September.
BTRC formally approved those decisions retrospectively at its 312th meeting in October, noting that the two operators had applied before the decisions of the 310th meeting were published.
The commission said restricting the higher limits to Grameenphone, an operator with significant market power (SMP), could have created market discrimination and given it a competitive advantage.
Banglalink said similar arrangements across operators helped maintain a level playing field.
Bangladesh Bank (BB) had permitted the higher limits in a letter dated 20 July, subject to regulatory conditions and the applicable approval process.
Under the regulatory framework, DOB can be used to purchase eligible applications, games and digital subscriptions. It also permits purchases of eligible smartphones, SIM-based modems and routers through single payments or instalments.
However, regulatory approval does not mean every permitted product or service is currently available through every operator.
Banglalink said its existing DOB-related service is limited to Netflix vouchers, which customers can redeem to watch content under Netflix’s policies.
The operator said mobile billing could make subscription payments easier, particularly for people without bank accounts or payment cards, and help expand cashless transactions beyond conventional banking channels. It described the existing regulatory framework as suitable for providing necessary services while expressing hope for better opportunities in the future.
The higher limits do not permit unrestricted digital payments. DOB transactions involving gambling, casinos, lotteries, cryptocurrency, foreign-exchange trading, stock-market trading and multi-level marketing are prohibited.
Transactions involving public investment collection, lending, money storage and other financial activities through applications are also barred, alongside purchases of virtual currencies, including coins, points and diamonds, in social media applications and games.
Operators must verify customers under Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements in line with Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit guidelines and comply with the Payment and Settlement System Act 2024, Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012 and Anti-Terrorism Act 2009.
They must also follow BTRC guidance when selecting eligible products and services, ensure delivery, protect consumers and establish refund and chargeback arrangements for failed or disputed transactions.
Payments to non-resident merchants requiring foreign-currency remittances must receive approval from BB’s Foreign Exchange Policy Department where applicable. BB may inspect DOB operations under Section 21 of the Payment and Settlement System Act 2024, while mobile operators will be treated as reporting organisations under the relevant money-laundering and anti-terrorism laws.
Bangladesh introduced DOB in 2018 with a monthly transaction limit of Tk600 and an annual ceiling of Tk3,000.
Following requests from mobile operators for higher limits in 2024, a committee comprising representatives from BB and other relevant bodies was formed on 25 February that year to review the guidelines.
While the revised guidelines were being prepared, BB introduced interim limits of Tk2,000 a month and Tk20,000 a year, applicable through June 2026.
The central bank subsequently permitted the higher ceilings for six months from 20 July 2026, subject to regulatory conditions. According to BTRC, state-owned Teletalk Bangladesh Limited did not apply for the increased limits.
