The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division is taking strides to create a reliable and inclusive payment ecosystem through the payment aggregator ‘EkPay.’
This initiative is designed to allow people to pay utility bills, education fees, and government institution fees through any payment channel of their choice.
The ‘EkPay’ platform, currently operated by the ICT Division under the supervision of Bangladesh Bank, aims to ensure the use of IT in financial services and to bring the grassroots people under the financial services network, said a press release on Friday.
To achieve this vision, a day-long workshop titled "Payment Ecosystem in Financial Services: Challenges and Solutions" was held on Thursday at the a2i Conference Room of the ICT Division. Organised by Aspire to Innovate (a2i), the workshop brought together stakeholders and service providers involved in ‘EkPay.’
In his keynote speech, ICT Secretary Shish Haider Chowdhury stressed the need for innovation and technological integration in the electronic payment systems to make them more accessible and inclusive.
He said the ICT Division, in coordination with the Central Bank, is working to develop ‘EkPay’ as a national payment aggregator.
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“The distrust of many people regarding ‘EkPay’ has already been removed. EkPay will be the most trusted payment aggregator in the country,” said the secretary.
Speaking at the function, Policy Adviser of the ICT Division Foyez Ahmed Tayeb emphasized the need for interoperability in the mobile financial services sector.
"Our goal is to build an ecosystem where interoperability is ensured. A reliable payment aggregator like EkPay is crucial for public institutions. In the long term, the ICT Division envisions EkPay as a platform connecting government institutions, utility providers, educational institutions, banks, mobile financial services (MFS), and fintech platforms,” he said.
Project Director of a2i Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan, who presided over the workshop, said EkPay simplifies the payment processes for various service fees and bills. "We want to assure that there is no room for mistrust in EkPay," he said.