Airplane tickets can be purchased with an international bank card

On Wednesday (November 19), a directive regarding this was issued to the country’s authorized dealer (AD) banks.
 

Previously, international cards were only permitted for expenses incurred during foreign travel. However, due to insufficient digital payment options in the country, travelers were often unable to purchase tickets at fair or competitive prices. The new policy has been introduced to address this market challenge.
 

According to the central bank’s new directive, eligible Bangladeshi travelers holding valid visas can now purchase tickets directly from airlines operating in Bangladesh using international cards.
 

To ensure transparency in transactions and maintain proper foreign currency flows, the circular states that payments for ticket sales must be processed through the payment systems of Bangladesh’s AD banks. This revenue will be considered foreign currency income within the formal banking sector.
 

Under the new rule, travelers can also reload or refill their cards with an amount equivalent to what was spent on tickets under their travel quota. However, AD banks will only allow the refill once it is confirmed that the ticket payment has been deposited into the domestic banking channel.
 

Bangladesh Bank has allowed airlines to deposit the ticket sales proceeds into foreign currency accounts maintained with AD banks. Following standard procedures, surplus funds in these accounts can be remitted abroad without converting them into Bangladeshi Taka.
 

Industry experts believe that this initiative will align Bangladesh’s aviation ticketing system with international digital standards. It is expected to reduce fare discrepancies between domestic and international sales channels and strengthen monitoring of foreign currency flows through the banking sector.