Bridging the Digital Divide for Low-Income Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh

Subscribe
FR
Light Dark

Bridging the Digital Divide for Low-Income Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh

by Mayank Sharma
Mar 12, 2026
1 min

This policy brief presents evidence from Bangladesh showing that personalized training and support can increase the adoption of digital financial services among low-income entrepreneurs. However, persistent barriers, such as fees, connectivity issues, and trust concerns, limit deeper and more frequent use of digital payments.

This policy brief examines how targeted support can help low-income microentrepreneurs in Bangladesh adopt digital financial services (DFS). Based on a 12-month randomized controlled trial, the study shows that personalized training, follow-up support, and helplines significantly improved entrepreneurs’ confidence, customer engagement, and use of digital payments. Yet, transaction volumes remained limited due to barriers, such as high fees, connectivity challenges, and trust concerns. The findings highlight that sustainable digital financial inclusion requires integrated approaches that combine digital literacy, stronger consumer protection, supportive infrastructure, and behaviorally informed policies.

The policy brief was co-authored by Shawn Hunter (Griffith University), Sameer Deshpande (Griffith University), Mayank Sharma (MicroSave Consulting), and Peter J. Morgan (Asian Development Bank Institute).