Bangladesh Bank has instructed all banks, mobile financial service (MFS) providers, payment service providers (PSPs) and payment system operators (PSOs) to ensure that funds from Bangla QR-based payments are credited instantly to merchants’ accounts from October 1, 2026.

The central bank’s Payment Systems Department-1 issued the directive in a circular on Thursday, September 17, aimed at making digital transactions more convenient and popular among customers.

According to the circular, all payments made through Bangla QR must be settled immediately into the respective merchant’s account from October 1. The instructions issued in the central bank’s circular dated November 24, 2025, will be considered cancelled from the same date.

The directive also requires all banks and MFS providers, including bKash, Nagad and Rocket, as well as PSPs and PSOs, to display a Bangla QR payment icon prominently in designated sections of their mobile apps.

The icon must follow the logo specified in Bangladesh Bank’s circular issued on January 6, 2021.

Furthermore, service providers have been instructed to enable Bangla QR payments through both QR scanning and image uploading by October 31.

Within the same deadline, all savings and current account holders, including cardholders, must be provided with the facility to make payments by scanning Bangla QR codes through their respective mobile apps.

Bangladesh Bank issued the directives under Section 18(2) of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2024.