Bangladesh Boosts Direct Operator Billing Limits for Digital Goods
Bangladesh Bank has raised the monthly Direct Operator Billing transaction limit to 5,000 taka following an application by mobile operators. The revised limits, which also set an annual cap of 50,000 taka, are effective for an initial period of six months.
In a significant update for digital commerce in Bangladesh, regulatory authorities have increased the transaction limits for Direct Operator Billing (DOB) for mobile airtime purchases of digital goods and services. Based on an official application submitted by mobile network operators, Bangladesh Bank implemented the decision in July to revise the financial caps governing how consumers pay for digital content using their mobile phone balances.
Under the newly established regulations, mobile phone users are now permitted to purchase digital goods and services up to a maximum limit of 5,000 taka per month. Furthermore, the updated framework establishes a cumulative annual spending limit of 50,000 taka for each user. To ensure proper regulatory oversight during this implementation phase, authorities have stated that these revised limits have been made effective for the next six months.
The evolution of Direct Operator Billing in Bangladesh dates back to its initial introduction in 2018. When the service first launched, users faced strict financial constraints, being restricted to a monthly purchasing limit of just 600 taka and a maximum annual ceiling of 3,000 taka. The recent policy adjustments represent a substantial expansion of these historical thresholds, reflecting the growing demand for digital services across the country.
Highlighting the impact of the regulatory shift, Tanvir Mohammad noted that the increase in DOB transaction limits will enable customers to utilize their mobile phone balances much more easily to purchase various digital services. Among the nation's telecommunications providers—which include Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, and Teletalk—only Grameenphone has successfully obtained the necessary formal approval from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) regarding the new limit so far.
Despite the broader access granted by the increased limits, strict prohibitions remain in place under the DOB framework. Transactions involving gambling, casinos, lotteries, cryptocurrencies, and digital asset trading are entirely banned. Meanwhile, a wide range of platforms and applications—spanning educational services like Shikho and Chhorcha, entertainment providers like Netflix, Chorki, iScreen, Deepto Play, Rabbithole, and Shadhin Music, lifestyle apps like Shukhiji, religious services like Ibadah and Deen, and administrative platforms like Protyoy—stand to benefit as users leverage their mobile balances for authorized digital goods and services.
