MSC carried out a comprehensive assessment of the regulatory framework for digital and mobile financial services in Bangladesh for ‘Shaping Inclusive Finance Transformations’ (SHIFT) SAARC, a UNCDF project.

MSC’s regulatory assessment and subsequent policy brief recommended the following:

  • Tiered Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations;
  • A DFS steering committee in the Bangladesh Bank;
  • The introduction of a regulatory sandbox;
  • Revisions to the mobile money and agent banking guidelines;
  • Investments in the supervisory structures at the Bangladesh Bank.

Since the review, SHIFT and a2i have been working to introduce eKYC alongside a working committee. Meanwhile, the mobile money and agent banking guidelines have been updated, while there is greater coordination of digital finance policy and regulation within the Bangladesh Bank. At the time of writing, discussions on the regulatory sandbox continue.