‘bKash Map’, live location service of finding agents, merchants and customer care centers through bKash app, has won the 4th Bangladesh Innovation Award 2022 in ‘Best Innovation-Product Development’ category. bKash has also won “Honorable Mention” award in the ‘Best Innovation-Finance Innovation in other Financial Institutions’ category for ‘Loan (from bank and financial institution)’. The awards, conferred by Bangladesh Innovation Conclave, recognize innovations and ideas that have been making people’s life easier. Read: Payoneer to Bkash Fund Transfer: A Great Advancement of Freelancing in Bangladesh This year, 18 innovations have been announced winners and 20 more received “honorable mentions,” said a media release on Wednesday. Mohammad Azmal Huda, Chief Product and Technology Officer of bKash received the awards from Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment Affairs Adviser Salman F Rahman and Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam held at a city hotel recently. State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak was also present at the event. Read: bKash to bring payments to freelancers through Payoneer in real time bKash Map facilitates the customers to easily find the location of the nearest bKash agent, merchant and customer care centers. By using the map, customers can seamlessly avail services from 3 lakh agent points, 284 Customer Care centers and more than 2,60,000 merchant points across the country. Customers can easily use the bKash map by tapping the bKash logo on the top right corner of the app's home screen. The logos of ‘Merchants’, ‘Agents’ and ‘Customer Care’ are found at the bottom of the map. Customers can see five nearby agent or customer care points by tapping on ‘Agents’ or ‘Customer Care’. Read bKash relaunches digital payroll solution for RMG workers They can also get the directions through the ‘Show Route’ option of the selected merchant, agent or customer care point after tapping the ‘Show List’ button. Besides, one can see 10 nearby merchant points by tapping on ‘Merchants’.

Freelancers in Bangladesh will now be able to receive payments instantly to their bKash account from all over the world through Payoneer.  Payoneer, a US-based commerce technology company powering payments and growth for the new global economy; Brac Bank, a leading private commercial bank of Bangladesh; and bKash, Bangladesh's largest mobile financial services provider jointly launched the service through a virtual event on Thursday.  Zunaid Ahmed Palak , state minister for information and communication technology (ICT), inaugurated the service as the chief guest.  Read: Magnito Digital partners with bKash Russel T. Ahmed, President of BASIS; Rohit Kulkarni, Regional Senior Vice President of Payoneer and Robert Clarkson, Chief Revenue Officer of Payoneer; Selim R. F. Hussain, Managing Director & CEO of Brac Bank and Kamal Quadir, Chief Executive Officer of bKash along with senior officials of respective organizations also joined the event.  “I would like to thank bKash, Payoneer and BRAC Bank for making the process faster and secured for the freelancers," Palak said, adding that skilled human resources are their greatest strength.  He said aound 6,50,000 freelancers of the country have been contributing 16 percent to the world’s online outsourcing.  According to a study by Oxford Internet Institute, Bangladesh is the second largest destination for online outsourcing, Palak said. During last 13 years, 2 million young technology based employment have been created with various initiatives and policies of the government, and we are working for further expansion, he added.   “Bangladesh is a key growth market for Payoneer globally,” said Robert Clarkson, Chief Revenue Officer of Payoneer.  Clarkson said they have always believed in the incredible potential of Bangladeshi entrepreneurs and this partnership with bKash highlights their commitment to invest in and provide the best solutions for our local customers.  "Our mission is to be a partner of growth for digital businesses of all sizes, from all corners of the world. We are thrilled to team up with local leaders like bKash and BRAC Bank to empower Bangladeshi freelancers to expand their economic opportunities.”  Selim R. F. Hussain, Managing Director and CEO of BRAC Bank, said they are delighted to be a partner of bKash and Payoneer in bringing earnings of the freelancers directly and instantly to bKash account.  "This service will give comfort and convenience to the freelancing professionals and enhance remittance inflow to the country in legal channel. Together we can play an enabling role in making Bangladesh a global freelancing hub and boost foreign exchange earnings.”  Kamal Quadir, CEO of bKash, said rding on the expanding digital infrastructure of Bangladesh, there is ample opportunity to take the country's freelancing sector to a stronger position in the global market.  "The easy method of getting payments in their bKash accounts through a regulated process will remove one of the key pain points of freelancers, which is to conveniently receive payment from their clients. This will surely encourage more people to start freelancing as well as help the existing ones dedicate more time and attention to their tasks.” The 24/7 real-time payment service will bring more dynamism to the thriving freelancing sector and accelerate the flow of remittance through legal channels to the country. As per the Oxford Internet Institute’s Online Labor Index, Bangladesh is a global powerhouse when it comes to ICT freelancing services.  Hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi freelancers are currently providing services in this sector worldwide. They are adding hundreds of millions of dollars a year in foreign exchange to the country's economy. Bangladesh is one of the top income generating sources from freelancing in the world. With this new service tailored for local freelancers, bKash customers will be able to easily register a new Payoneer account, or link their existing account from the ‘Remittance’ icon of the bKash app.  Once linked, freelancers can check their Payoneer account balance, and instantly bring their payments to their bKash accounts.  These funds can be used for any purpose including ‘Send Money’ to other bKash accounts, ‘Pay Bill’, ‘Payment’ of shopping, ‘Cash Out’, etc.  Read: bKash to disburse Hindu Religious Welfare Trust allowances Freelancers from every corner of the country no longer need to wait to receive remittance payments, addressing a key challenge to growth for these workers.  BRAC Bank will play a pivotal role in this service as the foreign currency management and international fund settlement bank, bKash said. On the occasion of this launch, customers receiving the highest amount of payment each day will be given a mobile phone starting from February 10-16, 2022.  A customer can receive this prize only once during the campaign.  To be eligible, the amount of money coming from Payoneer to the bKash account should be more than Tk 15,000 in one or more transactions.  The prizes will be handed over to the winners at the end of the campaign.  In addition, bKash is offering 2% instant cashback on every Payoneer transaction from February 10 to March 10, 2022.

US-based money transfer company MoneyGram has expanded its mobile wallet network in Asia through the integration with Bangladesh's mobile financial service provider (MFS) bKash. This is the latest integration as part of MoneyGram's ongoing partnership with Thunes, a B2B company that powers payments for businesses. With this launch, around 56 million bKash wallet users in Bangladesh will now be able to receive funds instantly from around the world through nine local bank accounts, retail partners, and other digital methods. Also read: bKash relaunches digital payroll solution for RMG workers An estimated $22 billion flowed into Bangladesh in the form of remittances in 2020, accounting for almost 7 per cent of the country's total economic output in the year, according to the World Bank. Across many areas of the world, especially in parts of Asia, remittances remain a vital role in consumer lives, while demand for digital options and mobile wallets continues to surge. "The digitisation of our receive network is a core component of our growth strategy, and this latest integration can help improve the financial lives of around 56 million bKash wallet users in a large and growing market," said Alex Holmes, MoneyGram chairman and CEO. "As we recently announced, total transactions received digitally through the MoneyGram platform reached a new all-time high in the third quarter of this year, with 63 per cent year-over-year growth, and this partnership will further support this strong growth." Also read: 10 Minute School courses: bKash offers 20% cashback on payment "We believe that access to fast and affordable global payments is one of the basic human rights and that technology can help us achieve it," said Peter De Caluwe, CEO of Thunes. "We are glad to partner with MoneyGram and bKash to get us one step closer to that vision and enable seamless digital payments to the vibrant Bangladeshi community."

The Bangladesh Bank has topped the Cyber Drill 2021 while bKash secured the second position in an event organised for enhancing the cyber incident handling capacity of the financial institutions. A total of 38 financial institutions attended the Cyber Drill 2021 organised by Bangladesh Government's e-Government Computer Incident Response Team (BGD e-GOV CIRT) recently. In the drill, Bangladesh Bank secured the first position with 55 marks and bKash secured the second position with 52 marks. The toppers of the drill were selected based on the technological, infrastructural, analytical, and precautionary measures taken to handle cyber-attacks. Also, the use of advanced technology and the necessity to organise more training on cyber security were discussed during the day-long event. Mohammad Azmal Huda, chief product and technology officer of bKash, said: "To ensure cyber security, we continuously invest in this sector and emphasise developing technological know-how. This kind of cyber drill helps us evaluate our technological capability and also paves the way to achieving new areas of development." Organised by BGD e-Gov CIRT, Bangladesh Computer Council and the Digital Security Agency coordinated the drill for the second time.

First five customers in every hour can win Tk 500 cashback by availing Add Money service from banks and cards to bKash accounts throughout October.  First five users of every hour from 6am to 10pm, using Add Money service amounting Tk 6,500 and above will be eligible for the cashback during the campaign period. Read: bKash initiates interaction with CID to ensure customer safety Cashback will be sent within 2-3 working days to the respective bKash account of the customer where Add Money has been done. One can win cashback once a day, said a media release on Monday.  From the largest MFS Add Money network of 29 banks, customers can Add Money to their own or loved ones’ bKash account through internet banking and app.  Read: bKash introduces reward points with transaction Users can also enjoy the Add Money service from Visa and Mastercard issued in Bangladesh in the same way. To avail the service, a customer needs to add bKash number as beneficiary via registering to the online banking of the banks.  Read bKash's internship bNext launched After logging in to the bank account, customer has to put few information like bKash number, amount, OTP code and bKash PIN to complete the transaction. After successful transaction, customer will get SMS notification. Customers can also avail Add Money service from Visa and Mastercard to bKash account by following few steps in bKash app’s card to bKash option. A user can avail the service from several cards as well. Read bKash cuts ‘Cash Out’ charge

bKash has launched its new and flagship internship programme "bNext" for undergraduates. Through this programme, they will get the opportunity to make an impact by contributing to meaningful and impactful projects. Upon successful completion of the internship, the interns will have a higher chance to land a job at bKash. Read: bKash cuts 'Cash Out' charge The programme is designed to scout out the most talented candidates and develop their talent further through a comprehensive learning journey. Interested candidates will have to apply for this internship programme by October 3. The candidates will go through a rigorous selection process comprising of a primary aptitude test, FGD, case cracking and interview. Read Russia to provide internships to Bangladeshi doctors The interns will go through a comprehensive development programme – starting from a comprehensive induction programme to customised learning modules, mentorship, and monthly catch-up by HRBP and project managers. bKash offers internship opportunities in three semesters – spring, fall, and summer. Both local and foreign students can apply for the internship programme.  Besides the internship programme, which is mostly project-based, bKash also arranges knowledge sharing sessions for students on relevant topics in different universities to help them develop and focus on their careers. Read Paid vs Unpaid Internship: Pros and Cons

bKash, a mobile financial service provider in the country, has reduced the "Cash Out" charge to make customer transactions more affordable.  They can now cash out up to Tk 25,000 per month from a favourite agent (Priyo Agent) at a reduced charge of Tk 14.90 per thousand.  This includes all costs, including VAT, and customers need not pay any extra charge, said a release on Friday. READ: Ekushey Book Fair: 3 publishing houses awarded for using bKash Any of bKash’s 55 million customers can now enjoy the reduced cash out charge.  Recent analysis on bKash transactions shows that 95% customers 'cash out' within 25,000 Taka per month.  Keeping that in mind, bKash has come up with this reduced charge to ensure a more affordable service marking its 10th anniversary. To avail this service, a customer has to add a favourite bKash agent number. If needed, that can be changed at the end of each  calendar month. To add a favorite agent number, a customer needs to follow a few simple steps after tapping on the ‘cash out’ icon from the home screen of bKash app.  READ: bKash organizes workshop on prevention of MFS abuse in Chattogram Customers can also add a ‘Priyo Agent’ through dialing USSD code *247# and selecting 'Priyo Number' from 'My bKash' menu.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has distributed financial aid among 15,000 people in Cox’s Bazar. UNHCR sent Tk 2500 each through bKash to the pandemic-hit most vulnerable individuals and people living in extreme poverty in Cox’s Bazar, said a media release on Thursday. Especially, people who have lost their jobs during the pandemic, people with disability, the elderly, widows, hawkers, transgender, hotel staff received the financial aid. READ: UNHCR issues non-return advisory for Afghanistan Bangladesh Red Crescent Society carried out the project as local implementation partner of UNHCR. Md. Kamrul Hasan, Divisional Commissioner of Chattogram formally inaugurated the financial aid disbursement through bKash at Cox’s Bazar DC Office recently. Among others, Md Mamunur Rashid, Deputy Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar, Ita Schuette, Head of Office for UNHCR in Cox’s Bazar, Imam Zafar Sikder, Disaster Response Director of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and Mehmud Ashique Iqbal, Vice President and Md. Somel Reza Khan, Deputy General Manager from Commercial division of bKash, were present. READ: UNHCR ready to support rescue work after Rohingya boat capsize

bKash has recently organized a workshop for the law enforcement officers of Chattogram to create awareness on prevention of abuses in Mobile Financial Services (MFS). bKash, with the co-operation of Cartogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) organized the workshop which was attended by 250 investigation officers of CMP and bKash officers at Dampara Police Lines in the city. Saleh Mohammad Tanvir, Commissioner, Chattogram Metropolitan Police was present as the Chief Guest at the workshop. A.K.M. Monirul Karim, EVP and Head of External Affairs of bKash was also present at the event. Read: bKash introduces reward points with transaction - bKash conducted the workshop in Chattogram as part of its nationwide awareness campaign to ensure proper usage of MFS, prevent criminal activities in financial sector and minimize the overall abuse in MFS industry. The workshop discussed on the types of crimes committed abusing MFS, the importance of information exchange related to investigation to apprehend criminals and various steps taken by bKash to prevent the abuse of the MFS platform. The workshop also emphasized on maintaining full compliance through creating awareness to prevent financial crimes. Read IDLC introduces Bangladesh's 1st MFS-based digital savings programme

Customers can now enjoy up to 15% cashback while shopping from Daraz through bKash. They can avail of the offer till September 8 during the online platform's seventh anniversary celebration campaign. The buyers can get a maximum cashback of Tk200 from single or multiple orders during the campaign. READ: Daraz's 7th anniversary special campaign launched Customers are getting instant cashback on the purchase of all products starting from fashion, lifestyle, electronics, groceries, digital products, beauty products, and so on. For shopping from Daraz, they need to select bKash from the payment option after selecting a product. As they enter the bKash number and verification code, bKash will be added to the payment method, according to a press release. READ: Daraz celebrates 7th anniversary