BB spokesperson clarifies Bangla QR remains free for customers

Bangladesh Bank has dismissed claims circulating on social media that customers will have to pay additional charges when making purchases through the Bangla QR payment system, saying the service remains free for consumers.

The clarification follows misleading posts claiming that a customer making a Tk1,000 payment through Bangla QR would be charged an additional Tk10, creating confusion among users.

Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan said customers are not required to pay any fee for using Bangla QR.

"Consumers can make purchases through Bangla QR without paying any charge. The fee applies only to merchants, not customers," he said.

Under the current pricing structure, merchants pay a maximum Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) of 1% on transactions. For a Tk1,000 payment, the maximum fee is Tk10, plus 15% VAT on that amount, bringing the total merchant cost to Tk11.50.

The central bank said the charge is similar to the fees merchants already pay for accepting credit card payments and should not be passed on to customers.

Bangladesh Bank warned that charging customers more than the listed price of a product or service for using Bangla QR would violate its payment guidelines.

Customers who are asked to pay extra for using the service have been advised to report the matter to the relevant bank, mobile financial service (MFS) provider, or the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection.

The central bank also urged consumers not to be misled by misinformation about digital payment services circulating on social media.