Digital services platform Pathao has rolled out the "Pay Later" feature, the first-of-its-kind payment option for consumers in Bangladesh. 

For now, Pathao Food users can choose "Pay Later" as their payment method to complete their order with a single tap. The initial spending limit is Tk2,000, which will be replenished upon repayment.

Pathao will not charge the user for the "Pay Late" feature. The full amount will be due within 30 days of the end of a 15-day spending period after which there will be a late charge of up to Tk200.

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The digital services platform will send regular reminders as repayments become due. 

Repayment must be made using any digital payment method, and users can pay in parts within the 30-day window.

The feature is now available to Pathao Food's most loyal users, determined with the platform's advanced data and analytics engine. It will be expanded to those who qualify and other services in stages from the first quarter of 2022.

"The time is now for consumers in Bangladesh to get the ease-of-use one expects in developed countries. The launch of the 'Pay Later' is the first of many steps in that direction," said Fahim Ahmed, CEO and MD of Pathao.

Recent data shows that Bangladesh is one of the countries with the lowest credit card penetration in South and Southeast Asia, with about 1 per cent of the population owning a credit card.

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Also, the credit gap and lack of knowledge about digital payments are a challenge in the country and have resulted in the majority of transactions being carried out in cash. 

Pathao, by leveraging its advanced technological capabilities and partnering with financial institutions, wants to unlock new opportunities in the realm of digital credit, according to a media statement.