Mastercard organises ‘Cashless Bangladesh Summit 2025’ with ICMAB in Dhaka

Mastercard and the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB) has jointly organised the "Cashless Bangladesh Summit 2025" under the theme 'The Intersection of Finance and Technology' at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka today.

The summit brought together key stakeholders from the banking and fintech sectors, regulatory authorities, and policymakers to explore the opportunities, challenges, and future roadmap for building a cashless economy.

Ahsan H Mansur, governor of Bangladesh Bank, attended the summit as the chief guest, according to a press release.

Shish Haider Chowdhury, secretary of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division, was present as the special guest.

The summit, split into multiple sessions, featured insightful discussions on topics including "The Role of Fintech in Building a Cashless Economy" and "Regulatory Reforms & Policy Roadmap for a Cashless Bangladesh."

M Masrur Reaz, chairman and CEO of Policy Exchange Bangladesh, and Debapriya Bhattacharya, distinguished fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), delivered the keynote addresses.

Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, president of ICMAB, said: "This summit has brought together the right stakeholders to act on creating a digital-first financial system that promotes transparency, security, and inclusion."

Syed Mohammad Kamal, country manager for Bangladesh at Mastercard, said: "Today's dialogues mark a significant step in shaping a future-ready, inclusive Bangladesh."

Md Sharafat Ullah Khan, director of the Payment Systems Department of Bangladesh Bank; Syed Mahbubur Rahman, managing director and CEO of Mutual Trust Bank PLC; Ali Ahmmed, chief commercial officer of bKash Limited; Zakia Sultana, director of Mastercard Bangladesh; and Adnan Imtiaz Halim, founder and group CEO of Sheba Platform, participated as panel discussants.

Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder, secretary of the Finance Division at the Ministry of Finance; Md Abdur Rahman Khan, secretary of the Internal Resources Division and chairman of the National Board of Revenue; Md Habibur Rahman, deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank; Mashrur Arefin, managing director and CEO of City Bank PLC and chairman of the Association of Bankers, Bangladesh; and Anita Ghazi Rahman, founder and managing partner of the Legal Circle, also joined the panel discussions.