Eastern Bank signs MoU with RHD for electronic toll collection

Eastern Bank PLC (EBL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) to introduce advanced digital toll collection solutions across RHD-operated toll bridges.

M Khorshed Anowar, deputy managing director and head of Retail and SME Banking at the bank, and Syed Moinul Hasan, chief engineer of the RHD, signed the MoU at the latter’s headquarters in Dhaka recently, according to a press release.

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Under the arrangement, Eastern Bank PLC has deployed merchant point-of-sale (POS) terminals at 14 RHD-operated toll bridges, enabling commuters to pay tolls conveniently using debit and credit cards.

The partnership also introduces RFID-based electronic toll collection (ETC) through the EBL Skybanking App, allowing customers to make seamless, contactless toll payments.

Customers paying through ETC lanes using cards or the EBL Skybanking App will enjoy a 10 percent toll discount offered by the RHD.

The initiative is expected to significantly reduce transaction times at toll plazas, ease traffic congestion, and eliminate the challenges associated with cash handling and change management.

In addition, the partnership will facilitate the introduction of Bangla QR payment acceptance at RHD-operated toll plazas, further supporting the government’s vision of building a secure, efficient, and digitally enabled payment ecosystem in Bangladesh.

Among others, Ahsan Ullah Chowdhury, head of digital financial services at the bank; Faisal M Fathe-Ul-Islam, head of digital payments; Md Moniruzzaman, additional chief engineer of the RHD; and Md Ahsan Habib, senior system analyst, were also present on the occasion.