Sixth edition brings banking leaders, fintech executives and regulators together to discuss financial inclusion, data protection and secure digital infrastructure
DHAKA, October 10, 2026: Bangladesh’s next phase of digital financial transformation will depend on stronger financial infrastructure, wider inclusion and greater public trust, industry leaders said at the sixth Bangladesh Fintech Summit in Dhaka on Saturday.
The day-long Mastercard Presents 6th Bangladesh Fintech Summit, powered by Dhaka Bank PLC and held in association with Upay, brought together banking executives, fintech leaders, investors, regulators, technology experts, startup founders and academics at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel.
Initiated by Bangladesh Fintech Forum and organised by Bangladesh Brand Forum, the summit focused on how Bangladesh can move beyond the adoption of digital financial services towards a more reliable, inclusive and technology-driven financial ecosystem.
Discussions covered artificial intelligence (AI), digital banking, cashless transactions, interoperability, consumer protection and the regulatory frameworks needed to support responsible innovation.
Welcoming participants, Sajid Mahbub, group chief executive officer and executive editor of Bangladesh Brand Forum, said the country's fintech development would depend on translating digital adoption into lasting financial capabilities.
“Innovation must make financial services more useful and accessible, while strengthening the trust people place in them,” he said, emphasising the need for collaboration among financial institutions, entrepreneurs and policymakers.
The summit featured two keynote sessions, three panel discussions, an expert deep dive, an insight session and a case study, bringing regional banking experience into discussions on Bangladesh's financial sector.
One keynote session examined the convergence of banking across Southeast Asia and South Asia, while another explored the development of a digital bank from its inception to one million customers.
The sessions were led by Naushad Hussain, chief banking and network officer at TransFi Global and former senior executive at several financial technology and banking organisations, and Khuan Yew Lee, executive director and regional head of product at GXBank, GXS Bank and Grab.
Speakers discussed how product development, customer confidence and evolving regional banking models could influence the expansion of digital financial services.
Artificial intelligence emerged as another major focus of the summit, particularly its potential to change banking operations and customer services.
Gazi Yar Mohammed, co-founder and chief executive officer of Kube Money, co-founder of Dana Fintech and former executive vice-president and head of digital financial services at One Bank, led an expert deep dive on the shift from automation to agentic intelligence.
The session explored how increasingly autonomous AI systems could affect banks and fintech companies in Bangladesh, including their operational capabilities and the challenges of adopting the technology responsibly.
Other discussions examined the potential of AI and digital banks to reshape financial services over the next decade. Speakers also considered how cashless payments and interoperable financial systems could extend access to the next 100 million people.
The discussions highlighted the importance of developing secure and scalable financial infrastructure alongside technological innovation. Regulatory sandboxes, AI governance, data protection and consumer protection were also among the issues addressed.
These priorities are particularly relevant as financial institutions explore new digital products and payment systems, requiring safeguards that protect customers while allowing innovation to progress.
Among the prominent speakers were Osman Ershad Faiz, managing director and chief executive officer of Dhaka Bank PLC; Mohammad Ali, managing director and CEO of Pubali Bank PLC; Syed Mahbubur Rahman, managing director and CEO of Mutual Trust Bank PLC; and Farzanah Chowdhury, managing director and CEO of Green Delta Insurance PLC.
Other speakers included Ali Reza Iftekhar, adviser to Bank Asia PLC and former managing director and CEO of Eastern Bank PLC; Shyamol B. Das, managing director and CEO of UCB Fintech Company Ltd, which operates Upay; Zakia Sultana Laboni, country manager of Mastercard Bangladesh; and Yousup Faruqu, chief executive officer of Raptas and former managing director for Microsoft in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.
Professor Imran Rahman, dean of business and policy adviser at Independent University, Bangladesh, also joined the discussions. He is a board member of BRAC University and an independent director and vice-chairman of DBH Finance PLC.
The summit aimed to strengthen collaboration across banking, payments, insurance and technology while encouraging policy dialogue on the future of digital finance in Bangladesh.
Brain Station 23 supported the event, while Bangladesh Innovation Conclave served as the innovation partner. Turkish Airlines was the official carrier partner, Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel, Dhaka, was the hospitality partner, and Backpage PR served as the public relations partner.
