bKash, country's monopoly mobile financial service provider, is now facing a credibility test as users across Bangladesh openly complain that it is charging more than other service providers and doing so in ways the users feel unclear and unfair.
What was once promoted as a symbol of financial inclusion is increasingly being described in everyday conversations as expensive, confusing and tilted against common users.
The biggest frustration starts with cash withdrawal. As of now, bKash charges Tk 14.90 per Tk 1,000 for cashing out through a Priyo Agent within a limited monthly threshold. Once that limit is crossed, or at regular agents, the charge jumps to Tk 18.50 per Tk 1,000. In plain terms, a user pays up to 1.85 percent just to get their own money in hand. For someone withdrawing Tk 10,000, nearly Tk 185 disappears instantly. If that happens four times a month, the user loses around Tk 740 only in fees.
When people compare, the difference becomes sharper. Nagad users pay around Tk 12.50 per Tk 1,000 through USSD and even less through app-based options. Rocket users can withdraw from ATM booths at about Tk 9 per Tk 1,000. That means for the same Tk 40,000 withdrawn in a month, a bKash user may pay more than double what a Rocket user pays. For low-income families and small traders, this gap is not theoretical. It is food and hard earned money.
Users say the pain is not only the amount but how it is shown. Many complain that the full charge is not clearly highlighted before confirming a transaction.
They only realise the exact deduction after the SMS arrives. By then, the money is gone. This has created a widespread belief that the system relies on habit and trust rather than transparency.
This frustration is now visible beyond casual complaints. On Trustpilot, one of the world's largest independent customer review platforms, bKash carries a TrustScore of around 2.5 out of 5, based on more than 100 user reviews. Trustpilot classifies this as a poor rating. An overwhelming majority of those reviews are one-star ratings. Users on the platform repeatedly mention high charges, unclear fees, poor customer support, app glitches, failed transactions and difficulty getting problems resolved. Many reviewers say the service feels costly and unresponsive, and that their experience has worsened over time. The Trustpilot page shows strong negative sentiment from customers who felt compelled to publicly share their dissatisfaction.
People on the ground echo the same tone. A shop owner in Sylhet says he withdraws small amounts several times a week and feels like he is working partly to pay fees. A housemaid in Rangpur says every remittance withdrawal costs her Tk 50 to Tk 60, which she notices immediately. Agents admit they face anger from customers but have no control over pricing, damaging trust at the community level.
bKash argues that these charges are necessary. Company officials say the fees support a nationwide agent network, cover commissions, fund cyber security and keep the platform stable. They also point to fee-free transfers within limits and discounted options as proof that the system is not entirely costly. But critics say these benefits are limited and poorly communicated, while the main cost that hurts most users is cash withdrawal.
Meanwhile, the central bank has introduced an interoperable payment system allowing transfers between banks and mobile wallets at much lower capped fees, sometimes as low as Tk 8.50 per Tk 1,000. This move has intensified the debate, as users now see that lower-cost digital transactions are technically possible.
The controversy around bKash has therefore grown beyond a single company. It has become a wider question about fairness, dominance and transparency in Bangladesh's digital finance sector. When one platform controls most of the market, people expect it to lead by example, not charge the highest. The users also feel that accountability be ensured in bKash by monitoring and regulating authority.
For now, millions still rely on bKash every day and users dissatisfaction and frustration are rising. But as users calculate how much they lose month after month and as independent platforms like Trustpilot reflect mounting dissatisfaction, pressure is building. The question users keep asking is simple and direct.
The financial inclusion does not mean paying more every time you touch your own money when technology becomes more pervasive and consumer savvy.
