Merchants accepting payments through Bangla QR will receive the money instantly from 1 October, as Bangladesh Bank moves to speed up settlement and make the national QR payment system easier to use.
Banks, mobile financial service providers and payment service providers will have to credit every Bangla QR payment immediately to the respective merchant account from that date, according to a central bank circular issued on Thursday.
Bangladesh Bank will also require banks, MFS providers and PSPs to place the Bangla QR payment icon prominently on the home page of their mobile apps from 1 October.
The icon must appear at the bottom-centre of the screen, close to the user’s thumb zone, allowing customers to access QR payments without navigating through multiple menus.
The central bank has set a second deadline of 31 October for expanding the way customers can make Bangla QR payments.
By then, banks and payment service providers must allow customers to make payments by uploading a Bangla QR image, in addition to scanning a QR code directly. The feature will enable users to pay from a QR image stored on their phones.
All savings and current account holders, including card account holders, must also be able to scan Bangla QR codes and make payments through their banks’ mobile apps by 31 October.
The measures are aimed at making Bangla QR transactions more convenient for customers while encouraging merchants to accept digital payments, Bangladesh Bank said.
The central bank also repealed its 24 November 2025 instructions governing Bangla QR payments, effective 1 October.
