Millions of retail bank customers across Bangladesh face extended operational disruptions following an unannounced decision by 30 financial institutions to restrict core card and digital banking services. The nationwide service limitations, which affect Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Cash Recycling Machines (CRMs), and Point of Sale (POS) terminals, stem from a major technical migration across the shared Q-Cash payment network.
The operational curbs came into force at 9:00 pm on Sunday, 4 October, and are scheduled to remain in place until 12:00 pm on Saturday, 10 October. According to customer notices, technical teams are executing a infrastructure migration designed to upgrade processing frameworks and reinforce cybersecurity defences. Network administrators noted that services may be restored ahead of schedule if technical procedures conclude earlier than anticipated.
The central bank expressed strong dissatisfaction with how the transition was handled. Regulatory officials revealed that neither the Q-Cash network operators nor the member banks provided prior notification to Bangladesh Bank before shutting down vital retail channels. Arif Hossain Khan, Executive Director and Spokesperson for Bangladesh Bank, confirmed that while technological modernization is necessary to secure financial transactions, the decision to curtail critical operations across 30 lenders without regulatory clearance remains a serious compliance concern.
The disruption spans major state-owned commercial banks, private sector lenders, Islamic banks, and foreign institutions operating in the country. The following table outlines the 30 financial institutions affected by the migration:
| Affected Financial Institution | Institution Type | Key Disrupted Services |
| Agrani Bank | State-Owned Commercial | ATMs, CRMs, POS Terminals |
| Bank Alfalah Bangladesh | Foreign Commercial | Card Services, POS Terminals |
| Bank Asia | Private Commercial | ATMs, Card-based Payments |
| BASIC Bank | State-Owned Commercial | Network ATMs, POS Terminals |
| Bangladesh Commerce Bank | Private Commercial | ATM Networks, Electronic Services |
| Bangladesh Krishi Bank | Specialized State-Owned | ATM Terminals, Card Facilities |
| Community Bank | Private Commercial | Network ATMs, POS Terminals |
| First Security Islami Bank | Sharia-Compliant Private | ATMs, Digital Card Services |
| ICB Islami Bank | Sharia-Compliant Private | Network ATMs, Card Terminals |
| IFIC Bank | Private Commercial | ATM Networks, POS Facilities |
| Jamuna Bank | Private Commercial | ATMs, CRMs, Merchant Terminals |
| Janata Bank | State-Owned Commercial | ATM Networks, Card Transactions |
| Meghna Bank | Private Commercial | Network ATMs, POS Terminals |
| Mercantile Bank | Private Commercial | ATMs, CRMs, POS Terminals |
| Midland Bank | Private Commercial | Card Processing, ATM Terminals |
| Modhumoti Bank | Private Commercial | Network ATMs, Merchant POS |
| National Bank | Private Commercial | ATM Networks, POS Facilities |
| NCC Bank | Private Commercial | ATMs, CRMs, POS Terminals |
| NRB Commercial Bank | Private Commercial | Network ATMs, Card Processing |
| NRB Global Bank | Private Commercial | ATM Networks, Merchant POS |
| Rupali Bank | State-Owned Commercial | ATMs, CRMs, Electronic Services |
| Shahjalal Islami Bank | Sharia-Compliant Private | Network ATMs, POS Terminals |
| Shimanto Bank | Private Commercial | Card Facilities, ATM Networks |
| Social Islami Bank | Sharia-Compliant Private | ATMs, CRMs, POS Processing |
| Sonali Bank | State-Owned Commercial | Network ATMs, POS Terminals |
| South Bangla Agriculture & Commerce Bank | Private Commercial | Card Services, ATM Networks |
| Trust Bank | Private Commercial | ATMs, CRMs, Merchant POS |
| Union Bank | Sharia-Compliant Private | Network ATMs, Card Services |
| Uttara Bank | Private Commercial | ATM Networks, POS Processing |
| Woori Bank Bangladesh | Foreign Commercial | Merchant POS, Card Processing |
Banking officials acknowledged that scheduled downtime is routine when upgrading core banking software and migrating switch networks. However, executing a concurrent maintenance window across 30 distinct institutions poses widespread logistics challenges for retail consumers. Account holders trying to withdraw emergency cash, complete in-store card payments, or execute online purchases face intermittent transaction failures.
To alleviate consumer distress, banks have dispatched text messages urging clients to arrange alternative payment channels. Certain core debit card functions remain active, whilst transactions routed through non-Q-Cash networks, the national Bangla QR gateway, and Mobile Financial Services (MFS) platforms—including bKash, Nagad, and Upay—continue to operate as normal. Account holders requiring immediate funds are advised to verify service availability through bank call centres or rely on MFS transfers and physical branch counters while the migration is completed.
