BB expands int’l card access for foreign airline ticket purchase

Dhaka: Bangladesh Bank has widened the rules governing international card payments for airline tickets, allowing residents to purchase fares directly from foreign carriers operating flights in Bangladesh.

Under a circular issued September 28, eligible Bangladeshi residents with valid visas can use international cards to buy tickets for overseas travel. The revised policy updates instructions issued by the central bank in November 2025.

Previously, the facility was tied to transactions settled through an authorized dealer (AD) bank in Bangladesh. The updated rules also cover purchases processed through a foreign airline’s international acquiring and payment systems outside Bangladesh.

The expanded arrangement applies to 17 foreign airlines operating in the country. AD banks will identify eligible transactions using the respective airlines’ merchant category codes.

A key change is that qualifying airline ticket purchases will not count against a cardholder’s annual international travel entitlement. Once a transaction is verified, banks may restore the corresponding amount to the customer’s international card balance, subject to their agreement with the cardholder.

Banks must also submit transaction details to Bangladesh Bank through the prescribed reporting system.

Business representatives have welcomed the change, saying it could make online ticket purchases easier for Bangladeshi travelers while reducing the need for foreign airlines to maintain separate local payment-acquiring arrangements.