C.B.Desk: Aspire to Innovate (a2i) and Visa signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop an effective and innovative financial inclusion and digital eco-system in Bangladesh. The MoU was inked at a virtual signing ceremony on Tuesday (22 March).
Dr. Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir, Project Director of a2i; Sandeep Ghosh, Group Country Manager India & South Asia, Visa; Ram Rakkappan, Head of Government & Regulatory Engagement, India and South Asia, Visa; Tohurul Hasan, Programme Manager, a2i and high officials from respective organizations attended the program.
It is expected that this endeavour would provide an important platform for a2i and Visa to work together and contribute to achieving the Government’s next step of the Digital Bangladesh initiative towards becoming a ‘Cashless Society’. Key areas of cooperation under the MoU are Digital Financial Services Lab, Women economic empowerment, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Skill Development, Thought leadership. Under this MoU, both Parties will also work jointly to build the innovative payments solutions in different areas like Government payments, utility bill, education bill & fees payments etc.
Under this MoU both parties will collaborate with each other in the following area:
(a). Digital Financial Services Lab: Strengthening the DFS Lab of a2i to foster the innovations of citizen-centered products, technologies and services that will improve lives of low-income Bangladeshis and the efficiency of the financial sector for achieving greater digital financial Inclusion;
(b). Women and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME): Design and support women’s economic empowerment by encouraging women’s leadership in general, and in the MSME and financial sector in particular, including working together to promote that more capital gets to more women-led business owners;
(c) Cashless City or District: Sharing knowledge to introduce and pilot a cash light district or constituency in Bangladesh;
(d) Thought Leadership: Develop and organize thought leadership round tables or conferences on digital payments, FinTech or start up ecosystem, financial education, MSMEs and payment security, as applicable with participation of local or international stakeholders;
(e) Skill Development: Organize joint initiatives that involve universities and education sector on skills-development to help equip labor force for a future digital economy, as part of Skills for Employment Lab and related programs.
The Parties will further strengthen cooperation through knowledge partnership including research and knowledge sharing in the areas of common interest. The Parties will also work jointly to build innovative payments solutions in different areas like Government payments, utility bill & Education fees payments etc.
