Customers of 19 banks in Bangladesh are experiencing temporary disruptions to card, ATM, point-of-sale (POS), e-commerce and other digital banking services as part of a system upgrade and Q-Cash network migration.
According to separate notices issued by the affected banks, the migration process began at 9pm on 4 October and is scheduled to continue until noon on 10 October. The period of disruption differs between banks, as the technical work and affected services are not identical across all institutions.
The banks affected include Bank Asia, Bangladesh Krishi Bank, Janata Bank, Bengal Commercial Bank, Community Bank, Jamuna Bank, Midland Bank, Meghna Bank, Mercantile Bank, Modhumoti Bank, National Bank, NRBC Bank, NCC Bank, Rupali Bank, Shahjalal Islami Bank, Shimanto Bank, Social Islami Bank, Trust Bank and Uttara Bank.
During the migration period, customers may face difficulties withdrawing cash from ATMs, making purchases with bank cards and completing transactions through POS terminals. Online shopping and QR-based payments may also be affected.
Interbank transactions through the National Payment Switch Bangladesh (NPSB) could experience interruptions as well. For customers who depend on electronic transfers, card payments and ATM withdrawals for routine financial activities, even a temporary disruption can create practical difficulties, particularly when transactions are urgent.
Banks have attributed the interruptions to the migration of the Q-Cash network and related technical maintenance. Financial institutions routinely carry out system upgrades and maintenance to keep their technological infrastructure operational and support the various channels used by customers. Such work can require selected services to be temporarily suspended while technical changes are implemented.
The simultaneous disruption involving 19 banks, however, has increased the inconvenience for customers. With several institutions undertaking upgrades within the same period, customers who normally rely on ATMs, cards or interbank payment channels may have fewer immediate alternatives.
Arif Hossain Khan, executive director and spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank, said banks regularly conduct technical maintenance and system upgrades according to their individual requirements. He said the upgrade activities of the 19 banks happened to fall within the same period this time.
Bangladesh Bank officials have discussed the situation with the relevant banks. Steps have also been taken to ensure that customers receive advance information and SMS alerts about service interruptions. Such communication is intended to give customers sufficient notice to plan essential transactions or make alternative arrangements.
The affected banks have said that services will be restored in phases once the migration and maintenance work is completed. They have also apologised to customers for the temporary inconvenience.
Availability of over-the-counter banking services at branches may vary from one institution to another. Customers therefore need to check the instructions provided by their respective banks before visiting a branch or attempting an urgent transaction.
The disruption has also highlighted the growing reliance on digital channels within Bangladesh’s banking sector. ATM withdrawals, card payments, POS transactions, QR payments and interbank transfers have become part of routine financial activity for many customers. As a result, planned technical maintenance across multiple institutions can have a wider impact when customers are not given sufficient advance notice.
Clear communication is particularly important when scheduled maintenance is expected to affect customer-facing services. Advance SMS notifications, details of affected services and clear information about expected restoration times can help customers prepare for temporary interruptions.
For the affected banks, services are expected to return to normal progressively after the migration work is completed. Until then, customers will need to follow the latest notices and SMS alerts issued by their respective banks and make alternative arrangements where necessary.
