Bangladesh Bank (BB) has authorised foreign cards to be used to purchase flight tickets from Bangladesh-based airlines for overseas travel.
"To facilitate fair pricing, convenience and market competitiveness, it has been decided that resident Bangladeshi nationals, having visas where applicable, may use their international cards for the purchase of air tickets from airlines operating in Bangladesh for travelling abroad," according to a circular issued by BB on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the circular, all ticket sales funds must be obtained through payment service contracts with AD banks in Bangladesh, ensuring that foreign exchange gains are properly documented by domestic banking systems.
International cards issued under travel entitlement pursuant to paragraph 9 of FE Circular No. 37/2025 may be renewed or replenished up to the exact amount used to purchase the ticket.
Prior to refilling, ADs must check that complete payment for ticket orders has been received through ADs operating in Bangladesh.
ADs must keep separate records for each refill under this rule.
Ticket sale profits may be credited to foreign currency (FC) accounts held by airlines with ADs in Bangladesh in accordance with paragraph 33 of Chapter 13 of the Guidelines for Foreign Exchange Transactions (GFET)-2018. As a result, the scope of paragraph 33 ibid. shall be increased. However, funds collected must be cashed in Taka in the case of locally operated airlines.
Balances kept in such FC accounts may be utilised to transfer qualifying surplus earnings abroad without encashment, subject to the applicable provisions of Chapter 10 of the GFET and later circulars.
ADs must follow the reporting pattern to Bangladesh Bank. Other restrictions governing the issuance and usage of foreign cards will remain intact.
