Trying to avoid paying crazy ATM fees while traveling in Bangladesh. Anyone found ATMs that are free for foreign cards? Would love specific banks or locations if possible.
During my trip across Bangladesh, I mostly used HSBC ATMs in Dhaka and Prime Bank in Sylhet. My Wise Visa worked fine with BDT 20,000 limits at Standard Chartered, and Revolut Mastercard also worked smoothly at Sonalii Bank with BDT 15,000 limits. I withdrew cash every three days to cover rickshaws, meals, and guesthouses. Cash is absolutely essential in rural areas, where card use is almost nonexistent. ATMs in city centers were modern and safe, but I always planned ahead before traveling out.
Bangladesh ATMs can be a mixed bag. My HSBC debit was declined at a couple of Dutch-Bangla ATMs in Khulna, and when it did work, the cap was just BDT 20,000 with zero fees. Machines sometimes ran out of cash or went offline. Independent ATMs should be avoided as they often charge extra or don’t accept foreign cards at all. Best advice: use Standard Chartered or Agrani Bank, withdraw the maximum at once, and always have backup USD, since exchange shops are easy to find.
I was pleasantly surprised with ATM access in Dhaka. My Monzo Mastercard worked fine at BRAC Bank, where I withdrew BDT 15,000 in one go without any hidden charges from the local bank. Standard Chartered also accepted my Revolut Visa and had clean, modern ATMs inside branches, which felt very safe but they have a high 1000 BDT fee. Sometimes Standard Chartered even allows like 60,000 worth of withdrawal. I usually withdrew once every few days for food, taxis, and hotels, and I didn’t face any card rejection. Compared to some other South Asian countries, Bangladesh ATMs at major banks worked much more smoothly.
In Bangladesh, the most consistent ATMs for foreign debit and credit cards are Standard Chartered, BRAC Bank, and Dutch-Bangla Bank and also Islami Bank. I used my Wise Visa at Islami Bank in Dhaka, withdrawing BDT 20,000 (with no local fee, though my home bank charged me). UCB and Bank Asia banks ATMs also allowed BDT 20,000 with my Revolut Mastercard. Dutch-Bangla Bank is also good, no fees, 20,000 BDT limit. ATMs are common in Dhaka and Chittagong, but not always reliable in smaller towns, so it’s best to withdraw in bigger cities.