A sudden failure of Bangladesh Bank’s server has caused widespread disruption in internet and digital banking services across Bangladesh.

Sources said the incident occurred around 4:30pm on Thursday when a power outage and voltage fluctuations rendered the central bank’s main server inoperative.

Arif Hossain Khan, executive director and spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank, said the outage and voltage fluctuations led to a full system shutdown. “All types of inter-bank transactions are currently suspended. Bangladesh Bank’s full team is working to resolve the issue,” he said.

Officials confirmed that efforts were underway to restore online services as quickly as possible, although it remained unclear how long it would take for the server to be fully operational.

Customers reported overnight on social media that money transfers failed, card payments were cancelled, and apps would not open, disrupting essential and urgent transactions.

The server downtime most severely affected internet banking users, disrupting services such as logging in via mobile apps or web platforms, fund transfers, online payments, and credit and debit card transactions. Customers faced significant inconvenience from the afternoon through the night while trying to access banking services.

The disruption also affected check clearing and local and international payment settlements. The National Payment Switch Bangladesh (NPSB), which manages inter-bank card-based transactions, was temporarily down, halting bank-to-bank transfers.

Several banks issued notifications to customers, stating: “Due to technical issues at Bangladesh Bank, NPSB services are temporarily unavailable. Efforts are underway to resolve the problem. We apologize for the inconvenience.