bKash Limited, the leading mobile financial service provider in the country, recently conducted four awareness workshops in Dhaka, Khulna, Bogura, and Cumilla to reinforce its efforts in combatting financial crimes like hundi, betting, and money laundering. The workshops, lasting a full day, aimed to educate bKash’s distributors and channel partners on compliance practices to ensure accurate financial transaction management within the extensive agent network nationwide.
The discussions zeroed in on various aspects such as awareness of fund sources, timely reporting of suspicious transactions, regular data updates, staff monitoring, enforcement actions against non-compliant agents, and leveraging technology effectively. With over 350,000 agents spread across the nation, bKash’s vast network is crucial in advancing financial inclusion by providing digital financial services to all sectors of society.
Distributors, as key channel partners, bear the responsibility of overseeing this expansive network. Their duties encompass supervising and guiding agents, ensuring transaction precision, delivering regular training, encouraging technology adoption, and upholding service standards. Participants in the workshops expressed that adhering to stringent compliance standards has bolstered their operations and mitigated risks.
They commended bKash for its continual efforts in raising awareness and ensuring secure, transparent financial practices. Stressing the importance of vigilance and accountability, bKash urged all stakeholders to enhance monitoring, ensure prompt reporting, and uphold compliance to combat illicit financial activities such as hundi, betting, and money laundering.
Ali Ahmmed, the chief commercial officer of bKash Limited, highlighted the establishment of a robust distribution network through collaborative efforts with partners, ensuring seamless services to 82 million customers. He emphasized that agent points have evolved beyond basic cash-in and cash-out services to become financial accessibility hubs, offering a spectrum of services for customer convenience.
Mohammad Irfanul Huq, the head of distribution and retail business at bKash, emphasized that as a regulated entity by Bangladesh Bank, the company plays a pivotal role in advancing financial inclusion and developing the nation’s digital payment infrastructure. He reiterated bKash’s commitment to prioritizing compliance across all operational dimensions and called on distributors to stay vigilant to prevent misuse of financial platforms for illicit activities.