When you hold Bitcoin, a decentralized digital currency that operates without a central bank. Also known as BTC, it’s one of the most widely used cryptocurrencies globally—but not in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, using Bitcoin isn’t just discouraged—it’s illegal. The central bank, Bangladesh Bank, has banned all cryptocurrency transactions since 2015, calling them a threat to financial stability and national currency. Violators can face fines, asset seizure, and even jail time under the Money Laundering Prevention Act. Yet despite this, over 3.1 million people in Bangladesh still use Bitcoin and stablecoins daily, mostly to send money home from abroad.
The real danger isn’t just the law—it’s how it’s enforced. Most arrests happen when people try to withdraw crypto to local bank accounts or use peer-to-peer platforms to trade. Banks monitor transactions closely and report suspicious activity. If your account shows repeated transfers to known crypto exchanges, you could be flagged. Even holding Bitcoin in a wallet isn’t technically illegal, but if authorities find out you bought it or traded it, you’re at risk. There’s no gray area: the government treats crypto like contraband, not a financial tool.
What makes this even more confusing is that Bangladesh ranks 35th in global crypto adoption—higher than many countries where crypto is legal. Why? Because traditional banking is slow, expensive, and unreliable for remittances. Workers overseas send billions home each year, and crypto bypasses the middlemen. People use USDT (Tether) to receive funds from abroad, then cash out through trusted local traders. It’s not a rebellion—it’s survival. But this underground system runs on trust, not law. One bad trader, one police raid, one frozen account, and your life savings can vanish overnight.
There’s no official path to legal crypto use in Bangladesh. No licensed exchanges, no tax framework, no regulatory sandbox. The government’s answer is a state-controlled digital currency, but it’s years away and comes with full surveillance. Until then, anyone using Bitcoin is gambling—not just with price, but with freedom. The legal risks aren’t theoretical. They’re real, documented, and enforced. This collection of articles dives into how people navigate this dangerous landscape, what happens when you get caught, how other countries like Nigeria and Tunisia handle similar bans, and what alternatives actually work. You won’t find hype here. Just facts, stories, and hard truths about what happens when money is banned but still needed.
Bitcoin trading in Bangladesh is not explicitly illegal, but it carries severe legal risks including prison time, asset seizures, and bank account freezes under money laundering laws. Despite a thriving underground market, authorities actively prosecute traders.