Small businesses in Bangladesh will now be able to pay for Meta advertisements through bKash, allowing entrepreneurs to promote products on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp without relying on credit cards or foreign currency transactions.
The payment facility was formally announced on Thursday at the “Agami: Bangladesh AI Innovation Day” event held at a hotel in Banani, Dhaka. The event was organised by LightCastle Partners in partnership with Meta.
Under the new arrangement, advertisers will not face any additional charges for payments made through bKash. The payment will be transferred directly to Meta’s advertising account, according to the organisers.
The announcement was attended by Prime Minister’s Adviser for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Rehan Asif Asad, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen, Meta Bangladesh Public Policy Manager Ruzan Sarwar and Pathao Chief Executive Officer Fahim Ahmed.
Previously, Bangladeshi businesses using Meta’s advertising platforms had to pay through credit cards capable of processing foreign currency transactions. With around 3 million such cards available in the country, many small entrepreneurs were unable to use digital advertising despite having demand for the service.
The introduction of bKash payments is expected to widen access by allowing businesses with only a smartphone and a bKash account to advertise on Meta platforms.
bKash, one of Bangladesh’s leading mobile financial services providers, has 82 million registered SIM users, significantly exceeding the number of cardholders in the country. The company said the payment method already used by millions of businesses for daily transactions can now support online business expansion.
The event also featured a panel discussion on digital tools and artificial intelligence (AI) for small businesses and the role of local payment solutions in enabling digital growth.
Rehan Asif Asad said Bangladesh has 140 million mobile users, but only 50 per cent, or 70 million people, have smartphones.
“Today, there is no other country in the world with 70 million phones without data capability. So I believe this is a huge opportunity,” he said.
Meta Bangladesh Public Policy Manager Ruzan Sarwar said more Bangladeshi small businesses would now be able to reach customers online as local payment options become more accessible.
“This is a great opportunity as more Bangladeshi small businesses can now reach customers online. With local payment methods becoming available for Meta tools, more entrepreneurs will be able to use these platforms to build and expand their businesses,” she said.
Around 150 participants, including government representatives, industry officials and small and private-sector entrepreneurs, attended the event.
