Bangladesh Bank has significantly increased the limit for purchasing digital goods and services using mobile phone balances, a move aimed at promoting digital transactions and easing access to government and private services.
Under the new guidelines, individual customers can now buy digital products and services up to Tk 2,000 per month and a maximum of Tk 20,000 per year using their mobile balances. Previously, these limits were Tk 600 per month and Tk 3,000 per year, respectively. The revision follows a request from the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) and reflects growing market demand.
Lt. Colonel (Retd.) Mohammad Zulfikar, Secretary General of AMTOB, stated, “Mobile users can now utilise up to Tk 2,000 per month, instead of the earlier Tk 600, to purchase a variety of digital services. These include 33 government services such as birth, death, marriage, nationality, orphan certificates, and new voter verification, alongside local and international OTT and entertainment services.”
A Bangladesh Bank notification highlighted that the move falls under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2024, and covers the operation of Direct Operator Billing (DOB). Until formal guidelines are issued, mobile operators are allowed to temporarily manage DOB services until 30 June 2026.
Operators must comply with several conditions when providing DOB services:
Adherence to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws.
Sale of digital products and services that are usable solely on mobile devices.
Prioritisation of the operator’s own products or services.
Prohibition of social media apps, virtual currencies, gambling, cryptocurrencies, lotteries, forex trading, and multi-level marketing.
Approval from Bangladesh Bank for remittances in foreign currencies.
Ensuring delivery of digital products, safeguarding customer rights, and enforcing refund policies.
The updated purchase limits are summarised below:
| No. | Limit Type | Previous Limit | New Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monthly | Tk 600 | Tk 2,000 |
| 2 | Annual | Tk 3,000 | Tk 20,000 |
Bangladesh Bank anticipates that the forthcoming DOB regulations will make mobile payment services more transparent and secure. Experts suggest the policy will significantly boost the country’s digital economy while creating a more convenient and user-friendly environment for mobile subscribers.