Bangladesh Digital Financial Inclusion Conference 2018

Bangladesh is emphasizing accelerating digital financial inclusion to achieve the Perspective Plan 2021. This broad commitment to inclusive sustainable growth also coincides with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Bangladesh Digital Financial Inclusion Conference 2018 brought policymakers, regulators, and the private sector stakeholders in one platform to reflect on the country’s journey in the last decade in accelerating financial inclusion and discuss the way forward for promoting digital financial inclusion.
Bangladesh has been the center of global innovations for promoting access to finance in the last couple of decades. Despite the remarkable growth in promoting microfinance and other innovative means of reaching out to the last mile, the evolving DFS ecosystem needs to address some critical emerging issues to accelerate digital financial inclusion. The issues are, interoperability, risk proportionate user friendly and digital KYC alias eKYC (Know Your Customer) procedures, technical infrastructure development, promoting innovation while maintaining financial sector sustainability through risk-based, data-driven supervision, and risk mitigation for creating a more enabling ecosystem. To reduce the persisting gender gap in account ownership and usage through developing targeted products and services through collective and dedicated efforts is another major issue to focus on. The diminishing gender gap will enable women to have access to resources for increasing income and generating employment.
Bangladesh Digital Financial Inclusion Conference 2018 brought together the stakeholders to celebrate the achievements made in promoting financial inclusion in the country and facilitated structured thematic discussion to :
Outline a comprehensive vision for fostering the growth of DFS in Bangladesh and immediate next steps to achieve Vision 2021 accelerating financial inclusion through digital pathways.
Facilitate investors’ avenues to explore the ongoing innovations and potential high volume driver sectors for DFS.
Convene knowledge-sharing sessions with local and international peers on regulatory sandbox and DFS data-related best practices.
Elicit call for actions from regulators, policymakers, and a diverse range of private sector stakeholders to synergize efforts.
The conference was a day-long arrangement, held on November 20, 2018. Seven thematic consultative sessions were arranged along with a first-of-its-kind digital finance innovation fair participated by 25 local organizations showcasing products, services, and digital finance innovations.
UNCDF hosted the conference in association with the Access to Information programme (a2i), BRAC, and Business Finance for the Poor in Bangladesh (BFP-B) programme. The initiative has been supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the European Union.