Bangladesh Bank (BB) has instructed all scheduled banks, Mobile Financial Services (MFS), Payment Service Providers (PSPs), and Payment System Operators (PSOs) to ensure real-time credit to merchant accounts for transactions made via Bangla QR, effective October 1.

The central bank issued a circular on Thursday outlining four mandatory directives aimed at making digital transactions more popular, user-friendly, and attractive to merchants.

Under the new directives, all payments received via Bangla QR code must be instantly transferred to the respective seller's account starting October 1. Previously, while small merchants received instant settlement, larger businesses often had to wait one or two days, creating a deterrent to adopting digital payments. The central bank expects real-time settlement to encourage broader merchant participation across the board.

Additionally, financial institutions must place the Bangla QR icon in a prominent, easily accessible position at the bottom-center of their mobile app home screens by October 1 to facilitate seamless user navigation.

The central bank also directed institutions to introduce a feature allowing customers to upload Bangla QR images from their device photo galleries to complete payments by October 31, moving beyond direct live scanning.

By October 31, banks must also expand access to Bangla QR payments across all savings and current account holders through their mobile apps, extending the service beyond cardholders.