Simplifying Merchant Acquisition for Bangla QR Integration

M. Shamsul Arefin
Managing Director
NCC Bank PLC.

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Digital transformation is now woven into NCC Bank’s long-term strategy. Our goal is to provide a customer-centric digital ecosystem that blends convenience, security, and innovation, while advancing Bangladesh Bank’s Cashless Bangladesh vision. Our NCC Always app supports QR-based and P2P transactions, and we’ve set up a dedicated Bangla QR Implementation Unit to steer policy, merchant acquisition, tech integration, and operational readiness.

Bangladesh’s digital payment ecosystem is undergoing a historic transformation with the implementation of the National QR Code (Bangla QR) under Bangladesh Bank’s Cashless Bangladesh initiative. In this interview, M. Shamsul Arefin, Managing Director of NCC Bank PLC, discusses how the bank is leveraging its digital platforms to support and expand interoperable payments across the country.

The Daily Star (TDS): how will Bangla QR transform Bangladesh’s payment landscape, and what role will it play in building a truly cashless, smart and financially inclusive economy?

M. Shamsul Arefin (MSA): Bangla QR is far more than a payments innovation. Historically, the country’s digital payments evolved through siloed platforms, each requiring distinct QR codes or channels. Bangla QR breaks down these barriers with a unified, interoperable standard, allowing customers from any participating bank or MFS provider to transact seamlessly through a single code. At NCC Bank, we see Bangla QR driving transparency, payment efficiency, and lower cash-handling costs, while meaningfully advancing economic formalisation.

The Daily Star (TDS): What initiatives are being undertaken to simplify merchant onboarding, and how will Bangla QR help formalise businesses and expand financial inclusion?

MSA: Merchant acquisition is make-or-break for Bangla QR. A payment system only gains real traction when customers can use it daily. Bangladesh has millions of small, informal merchants who often lack formal banking, financing, or digital payment access, hampered by documentation, infrastructure, or complexity. Bangla QR dramatically lowers these hurdles. NCC Bank has set up a dedicated Bangla QR Implementation Unit to drive our acquiring strategy, operational framework, and nationwide rollout.

The Daily Star (TDS): From an industry perspective, what additional policy support, regulatory initiatives, tax incentives or digital infrastructure improvements would further accelerate the nationwide adoption of Bangla QR, particularly among micro and small merchants?

MSA: Bangladesh has a strong policy base through the Cashless Bangladesh initiative by Bangladesh Bank, yet scaling adoption requires deeper collaboration across regulators, banks, agencies, and tech partners. Priorities include simplifying merchant onboarding and expanding internet access, especially in rural and semi-urban areas. Incentives like tax breaks, lower fees, or merchant rewards can further accelerate cash-to-digital migration.

TDS: How do you see collaboration among banks, Mobile Financial Service (MFS) providers, Payment Service Providers (PSPs) and fintech companies shaping the future of digital payments in Bangladesh?

MSA: Bangla QR’s success hinges on collaboration, not competition. Bangladesh’s financial sector has matured, and stakeholders now recognise that true digital transformation demands interoperability.

Bangla QR provides a universal payment language, whether someone uses a bank account, MFS wallet, or other regulated platform, the experience stays seamless. This benefits everyone: customers get broader acceptance, merchants gain higher volumes without extra infrastructure, banks extend their reach, and fintechs can innovate atop a shared foundation. Equally vital is the joint effort between Bangladesh Bank, payment operators, banks, and tech providers to align standards, settlement, security, and governance. At NCC Bank, we support this ecosystem. We believe banking’s future lies in partnerships where innovation, interoperability, and customer-centricity become shared industry goals, not proprietary edges.