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Bank cards. Representational image.
Bangladeshi cardholders spent Tk 987 crore abroad in August for shopping, travel, and services using locally issued payment cards, according to the latest transaction data released by Bangladesh Bank.
A breakdown of outbound transactions shows credit cards accounted for the largest share at Tk 505 crore, followed by debit cards at Tk 422 crore and prepaid cards at Tk 60 crore. The United States was the leading destination for overseas credit card spending, accounting for 17.16 percent of total expenditure, followed by Thailand (10.86%), the United Kingdom (9.75%), India (9.12%), and Singapore (7.98%).
The surge in overseas card usage aligns with broader domestic growth over the last five years, during which domestic card transaction value surged nearly 103 percent—rising from Tk 24,561 crore in September 2021 to Tk 49,770 crore in August. Total cards issued grew by 96 percent during the period, reaching 52,954,241, comprising 40,887,804 debit cards, 2,805,449 credit cards, and 9,270,988 prepaid cards.
However, domestic credit card spending contracted slightly by 5.44 percent month-on-month in August, slipping to Tk 4,089.3 crore from Tk 4,325 crore in July. Departmental stores accounted for the bulk of domestic credit card transactions at Tk 1,969 crore, followed by retail outlets (Tk 518 crore), utility bills (Tk 442 crore), and pharmacies (Tk 284 crore). Meanwhile, spending by foreign cardholders inside Bangladesh rose 6.27 percent month-on-month and 34.66 percent year-on-year to reach Tk 249 crore in August.
