Dhaka: bKash, a subsidiary of BRAC Bank, mobile financial services launched on Teletalk network on 14 March enabling a Teletalk customer to register for bKash account to access and avail bKash services from mobile phone, across the country.

State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Division Tarana Halim opened a bKash account in her Teletalk connection while launching the service as the Chief Guest at a program at the Hotel Westin in capital.

Managing Director of Teletalk Bangladesh Limited Gias Uddin Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of bKash Limited Kamal Quadir, and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of BRAC Bank Limited Selim R. F. Hussain were present during the launch of the service. 

Earlier, in February 2015, bKash signed a network sharing agreement with the state owned mobile phone operator to launch the mobile financial services for Teletalk customers.

With the inclusion of Teletalk, bKash services are now available to all GSM cellular operators in the country including Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi and Airtel.

The Teletalk customers will now be able to enjoy many of the bKash services including sending and receiving money, merchant payment through using their bKash account. Mobile balance recharge for Teletalk customers through bKash will be available soon.

Addressing the program, Tarana Halim said, around 70 per cent population in Bangladesh live in villages while more than 13 core people have the mobile phones. Amid this scenario, bKash has taken up a big challenge to bring a large number unbanked population into a banking system and has made tremendous progress in this regard.

Touching upon the regulatory aspects of the mobile financial services, Tarana Halim said Bangladesh Bank is the regulatory authority of mobile financial services in the country.

‘Bangladesh Bank is entrusted for the regulations of mobile financial services in the country. Similarly, BTRC is the regulatory authority for mobile phone networks in the country,’ she said at the program.

She also praised bKash for its role in woman empowerment.

Launched in December 2004 as the fifth mobile phone operator, Teletalk has around 4.3 million customers.

‘A Teletalk customer having a registered bKash account can now avail our mobile financial services including fund transfer, merchant payment in a secured, convenient and cost effective manner,’ said Kamal Quadir, Chief Executive Officer of bKash.