Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said effective steps have been taken to launch the operations of international payment gateway PayPal in Bangladesh.

Speaking during a question-answer session in parliament today (15 April), he said a committee has been formed to ensure the effective operation of hi-tech parks and ICT centres, as well as to take concrete steps towards launching PayPal’s operations in the country.

Notably, PayPal has expressed interest in operating in Bangladesh on various occasions. Most recently, the international firm showed renewed interest during the interim government’s tenure.

In December, then-Bangladesh Bank governor Ahsan H Mansur said PayPal would begin operations in Bangladesh, adding that the initiative primarily aimed at facilitating easier transactions for freelancers, e-commerce entrepreneurs and the IT sector.

Around that time, PayPal’s South Asia team, based in Singapore, held meetings with Bangladeshi freelancers and the ICT Division.

PayPal is a digital financial service that enables online payments and money management between users and merchants globally.