- Bangladesh Bank now requires scheduled banks to open accounts for foreign workers holding valid employment visas.
- Foreign nationals in A3 and other categories must hold work permits before qualifying for salary-receiving accounts.
- The directive aims to improve financial transparency by shifting foreign worker wages from cash to tracked bank channels.
Bangladesh Bank ordered all scheduled banks Tuesday to open accounts for foreign nationals working under employment visas. The instruction sits in BRPD-1 Circular Letter No. 29, dated August 18, 2026. The order takes effect at once.
Workers in the A3 category and other Employment Visa categories can receive salaries and allowances through those accounts, but only if they hold a valid work permit and clear the bank’s KYC requirements. Bangladesh Bank put the permit first. The account follows the status, not the other way around.
The policy also pushes wages into local bank channels. The central bank said that route will improve transparency and tax compliance. It turns salary payment into a tracked transaction. Cash loses ground.
A Ministry of Home Affairs circular on April 19, 2026 had already said foreign nationals in the A3 category must obtain and renew work permits from BIDA within their validity periods. That earlier order set the lane. The new circular runs through it.
BIDA’s permit pipeline stayed active. The agency issued 5,491 new work permits and approved 10,407 extensions in the 2024-25 fiscal year. In 2023-24, it issued 5,761 new permits and approved 9,947 extensions. The workforce behind the accounts is not small.
The central bank also said banks may take the steps needed to open accounts for the workers, but only after KYC screening. That still means the usual checks. Nothing softer.
"Foreign nationals working in Bangladesh under the 'A3' visa category, as well as other Employment Visa categories, can receive their salaries and allowances through bank accounts. necessary steps may be taken to open bank accounts for them, subject to compliance with the applicable KYC [Know Your Customer] requirements."
Banks still ask for the same KYC papers
| What banks may ask for | What the circular says |
|---|---|
| Identity | Standard KYC screening applies |
| Address | Standard KYC screening applies |
| Source-of-funds documentation | Standard KYC screening applies |
| Resident or non-resident status | Onboarding can vary by institution |
The account-opening order does not erase the paper trail. It keeps it inside the banking system. Banks may still ask for the standard files, and the process can shift by institution. Resident and non-resident applicants do not always face the same checklist.
Permit counts stayed high last fiscal year
| Fiscal year | New work permits | Extensions approved |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 5,491 | 10,407 |
| 2023-24 | 5,761 | 9,947 |
The local-account route also opens the door to international wire transfers and digital payment systems, subject to central bank limits. That widens the use of the accounts beyond salary day. It keeps the money trail in one place.
Local accounts can also handle more than payroll
Managing Directors and CEOs of all scheduled banks were formally notified Tuesday to implement the new account-opening procedures immediately. The clock started then. No delay was written into the circular.
