Bangladesh Banking Veteran Abul Kashem Md Shirin Joins filps as Advisor

filps Limited, a Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) regulated fintech and digital banking infrastructure company, has appointed Abul Kashem Md Shirin as its advisor for Bangladesh. Shirin, former managing director and CEO of Dutch-Bangla Bank PLC, brings over four decades of experience in Bangladesh's banking and digital financial infrastructure.

The appointment underscores filps' deepening commitment to the Bangladesh banking sector. Shirin, who also serves as an Independent Director on the Board of Shimanto Bank PLC, is widely recognized as one of the earliest architects of the country's digital financial infrastructure. His career includes more than nine years as managing director and CEO of Dutch-Bangla Bank, eight years as deputy managing director, and six years as head of the bank's Information Technology Division, which he joined in 2003.

Shirin's leadership at Dutch-Bangla Bank was marked by significant innovations. Under his guidance, the bank developed the country's largest ATM and POS network. It pioneered mobile financial services through Rocket, an agent-driven MFS platform that extended banking services to rural Bangladesh. The bank also introduced biometric agent banking, EMV cards, QR payments, and app-based banking at a national scale, many of which were firsts for the country. Additionally, Shirin centralized operations and implemented paperless banking systems.

Before joining Dutch-Bangla Bank, Shirin held the position of deputy general manager and head of IT at BASIC Bank. His educational background includes a Master of Science in Computer Science and Engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, a postgraduate degree from the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, and an honours degree from the Bangladesh Agricultural University.

Shirin is the author of three books on technology and has held leadership roles within the Association of Bankers Bangladesh. Currently, he serves as Independent Director and Member of the Board of Directors of Shimanto Bank PLC.

In his new advisory role, Shirin will guide filps on the priorities of the Bangladesh banking sector, the direction of its regulatory and digital finance agenda, and the standards of governance, resilience, and service expected by the country's financial institutions. Biswas Dhakal, CEO of filps, emphasized the significance of Shirin's appointment. "Bangladesh is not a market we are entering. It is a market we are committed to, with live production deployments already serving leading banks and a growing pipeline of institutional partnerships. Shirin has spent his career building the digital foundations of Bangladesh banking, and there is no better guide to what the sector needs and how it deserves to be served," Dhakal said.

Shirin expressed his enthusiasm for the role, stating, "I have spent my working life convinced that technology, applied with discipline and respect for regulation, can bring banking within reach of every Bangladeshi. filps brings something rare to this work: it has operated digital wallets, payment networks and digital banks at national scale before offering that capability to others. I look forward to helping filps serve the banks, the regulator and the people of Bangladesh with the seriousness this sector deserves."

The appointment is part of filps' strategy to collaborate with senior figures who have led the sector within each market. This approach ensures that filps' engagement is shaped by local regulatory context, institutional realities, and national priorities. Currently, filps platforms are live in production at leading commercial banks in Bangladesh, with the company engaged in various initiatives related to digital banking, digital lending, merchant ecosystems, and fraud and risk intelligence.

#filps #AbulKashemMdShirin #DutchBanglaBank #BangladeshBanking #DigitalFinance #Fintech #ShimantoBank