SSLCOMMERZ launches Bangla QR for contactless payment

SSLCOMMERZ, the largest payment gateway of Bangladesh, launched Bangla QR on Thursday - the national QR for digital payments authorised by Bangladesh Bank.

Customers at the Shwapno outlet in Gulshan 1 and the Burger King outlet in Banani area of the capital inaugurated the service by paying with Bangla QR.

Small, medium, large entrepreneurs, restaurants, grocery stores or retailers of any kind, and shoppers of all socioeconomic backgrounds, can avail the benefit of this advanced contactless payment method. 

According to company sources, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers or retailers do not need any type of machine or device to take advantage of Bangla QR. Customers with the Bangla QR app on their mobiles will be able to scan Bangla QR and pay digitally using Visa cards of specific banks.

Mohammad Shahzada Redwan, Director and Chief Technological Officer of SSLCOMMERZ, handed over the commemorative Bangla QR to Abu Nasser, Director of Operations at Swapno Outlet.

Iftekhar Alam Ishaq, deputy general manager of SSLCOMMERZ, handed over another commemorative Bangla QR to Tanvir Akhtar, Restaurant Operations of Burger King. 

Top officials of SSLCOMMERZ, Eastern Bank Limited, Visa, and Bangladesh Bank attended the inauguration virtually. 

During the inauguration event, Sayeeful Islam, the managing director of SSLCOMMERZ, said, "Today we are opening a new chapter in the history of Bangladesh by launching Bangla QR in pursuit of our Government's Digital Bangladesh vision. I believe QR payments will transform this into a cashless society where even bills at roadside tea stalls can be paid digitally using QR."

SSLCOMMERZ platform is PCI DSS certified and licensed as a Payment System Operator (PSO) from Bangladesh Bank.

PCI DSS is a globally recognised compliance certification of data security for banks and financial institutions, which enables service providers to strengthen online payment security while collecting, processing, and storing customers' card information.

During the inauguration, Ahsan Ullah Chowdhury, Head of Cards & Digital Banking of Eastern Bank Limited (EBL), said, "EBL customers can make payments using QR codes via SKYBANKING app across multiple merchant points. I believe Bangla QR will be a very easy, secure and modern payment process for all our customers and merchants."  

Shailesh Paul, Head of Merchant Sales & Solutions, India and South Asia, Visa said, "Consumers increasingly prefer low-touch payments for their personal safety. QR payments are an inherently low cost and asset-light way for merchants to accept digital payments by simply displaying a QR code for shoppers to scan and pay."

Mohammad Akhlasuddin, joint director, Payment Systems Department of Bangladesh Bank, said, "Bangladesh Bank is continuously working to achieve the goal of Digital Bangladesh. I believe Bangla QR will play a paramount role in digitizing the economic sector."