Published : 11 Aug 2026, 07:39 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:32 AM
Stephen Karpin, president of the Asia-Pacific region of US financial technology company Visa, has met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
The meeting took place at the Cabinet Division at the Secretariat on Tuesday morning, Deputy Press Secretary Jahidul Islam Rony said.
He said Visa, a globally renowned company, expressed its interest in digital financial services, technology and the innovation sector in Bangladesh to the prime minister.
“The meeting also discussed in detail the possibility of expanding the use of Visa cards in various government and public service systems, including the metro rail, toll plazas and expressways, to make everyday transactions easier for ordinary people,” Rony said.
The Visa representative was invited to set up a technology development centre or global service centre in Bangladesh to create employment opportunities in the country, the deputy press secretary said.
Karpin arrived in Dhaka on Aug 11 on a three-day visit.
Tarique welcomed private-sector participation in expanding digital financial services and technology in Bangladesh. He emphasised cooperation from international companies such as Visa in developing Bangladesh’s digital economy, attracting investment and enhancing technological capabilities.
Karpin said Visa was interested in contributing to the development of Bangladesh’s digital and creative economies.
“There is significant potential to work in Bangladesh in digital financial services, technology and innovation,” he said.
“Visa wants to work through investment and technological cooperation to encourage bank account holders in Bangladesh who do not currently use cards to adopt card-based transactions and to expand the scope of digital payments.”
Karpin said at the meeting that Visa was interested in working to make Bangladesh’s banking and digital payment systems more secure, convenient and faster through the use of artificial intelligence technology.
The meeting also discussed developing an effective digital payment system to enable Bangladeshi freelancers to bring their foreign earnings into the country safely and easily, the deputy press secretary said.
The meeting was attended by the Prime Minister's Telecoms Advisor Rehan Asif Asad, BIDA Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury, Bangladesh Bank Governor Md Mostaqur Rahman and senior Visa officials.
