Leveraging information systems for financial inclusion: a case study of bKash in Bangladesh

Abstract

bKash, Bangladesh’s leading mobile financial services (MFS) provider, serves over 70 million users, processing 2 billion transactions annually by 2023 (bKash, 2023). This case study examines how bKash leverages information systems to address scalability, cybersecurity, and e-commerce integration challenges to promote financial inclusion in a country where only 50% of adults had bank accounts in 2021 (World Bank, 2021). Key issues include rural transaction latency (60% 4G coverage), phishing vulnerabilities (15% user exposure), and low rural e commerce adoption (10%) (GSMA, Bangladesh Bank). Proposed solutions involve edge computing, AI-based fraud detection, and logistics partnerships, grounded in systems theory, NIST framework, and digital platform theory (Laudon & Laudon, 2019; Parker et al., 2016). These strategies aim to enhance rural access, security, and digital commerce, ensuring bKash’s mission to empower underserved populations.