Paying for mobile phone roaming services no longer requires foreign currency in Bangladesh. From now on, Bangladeshi users can pay their roaming bills in local currency (Taka), according to a circular issued by the Foreign Exchange Policy Department of Bangladesh Bank on Thursday, April 24. The move aims to make roaming services easier and more affordable for travelers abroad, allowing mobile operators to directly collect payments in Taka from their customers.

Under the new policy, users can pay up to BDT 6,000 per trip and a maximum of BDT 30,000 per calendar year for roaming charges. This limit applies regardless of the number of SIMs or operators a user may have.

Certain conditions must be met to access this facility: users must have a valid visa and airline ticket, and the roaming service must be activated at least one week before traveling. The circular also permits mobile operators to settle dues with their foreign network partners, with specific guidelines to be followed by authorized banks.

Roaming services allow mobile users to make calls, receive messages, and use internet services while abroad, usually through agreements between international telecom operators. Until now, such services required international cards and foreign currency for payment. Stakeholders believe the new policy will simplify the process, reduce time and effort for users, and ease pressure on the country's foreign currency reserves.