Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H. Mansur has revealed that printing, storing, transporting, and distributing banknotes nationwide costs around Tk 20,000 crore annually. Speaking at a CPD dialogue, he urged reducing reliance on physical cash and expanding cashless transactions. The central bank is promoting QR code-based payments, making it mandatory for all licensed institutions. Mansur said this would make transactions faster, safer, and more transparent for both businesses and consumers. He also announced efforts to make quality smartphones available for Tk 6,000–7,000, enabling universal smartphone access to support digital payments.