Dhaka: Bangladesh Bank (BB) has allowed the use of international cards for the purchase of air tickets from airlines operating in Bangladesh for traveling abroad.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the initiative aims to facilitate fair pricing, convenience, and market competitiveness for resident Bangladeshi nationals holding visas. The BB circular issued today specified that all ticket sale proceeds must be acquired through payment service arrangements with authorized dealer (AD) banks operating in Bangladesh, ensuring that foreign exchange earnings are properly captured by domestic banking channels.
International cards issued under travel entitlement, as per paragraph 9 of FE Circular No. 37/2025, can be refilled or replenished up to the exact amount used for the ticket purchase after the purchase. Before refilling, ADs must ensure that payment for ticket purchases has been fully acquired through ADs operating in Bangladesh, and they must maintain separate records for each refill under this provision.
The circular further details that ticket sale proceeds may be credited to foreign currency (FC) accounts maintained by airlines with ADs in Bangladesh, pursuant to paragraph 33, chapter 13 of the Guidelines for Foreign Exchange Transactions (GFET)-2018. This extends the scope of paragraph 33, although the funds acquired need to be encashed in Taka for locally owned airlines. Balances held in such FC accounts may be used for the remittance of eligible surplus earnings abroad without encashment, in accordance with applicable provisions under chapter 10 of GFET and subsequent circulars.
ADs are required to adhere to the reporting routine to Bangladesh Bank, and other provisions relating to the issuance and use of international cards shall remain unchanged.