Uber and bKash have announced a partnership which will allow Uber riders to pay for their trips using bKash, the largest mobile financial service provider in Bangladesh. The long-awaited partnership aims to enhance rider experience and safety by making the payment process contactless, convenient and secure as riders resume travel after a lengthy lockdown, bKash and Uber said in a joint statement on Monday.

The partnership will give millions of Bangladeshi riders the convenience of seamlessly taking Uber rides, without the inconvenience of carrying cash or worrying about exact change, according to the statement.

bKash's digital payment option will take care of all transactions without any manual intervention once the bKash wallet is added as a payment method on the Uber app. This method will help users avoid transaction lag in case of poor network, gateway timeouts, or insufficient balance.

Serving approximately 45 million local users, bKash has been used daily to transfer money, pay for utilities and for other services. With the new partnership, bKash users will have instant access to Uber, and safe and reliable rides at the touch of a button.

"The partnership with bKash is a first of its kind for Uber in Bangladesh and is a big step on its journey to increase digitised payments on its platform. It also demonstrates Uber's commitment to strengthen the digital financial ecosystem and help accelerate 'Digital Bangladesh' - the government's vision of a smart, connected nation," the statement reads.

Commenting on the partnership, Nandini Maheshwari, director of business development at Uber for the Asia-Pacific, said: "We applaud the impact fintech leaders like bKash are having in Bangladesh and are pleased to partner with them to expand payment options for our riders.

During an ongoing global pandemic and especially as cities start moving again, we understand the importance of safer, cashless transactions to help maintain physical distancing. With this partnership, we hope to promote more digital transactions, reduce cash dependency on the platform and improve the country's digital financial infrastructure."

Mizanur Rashid, chief commercial officer of bKash, said: "Facilitated through our partnership with Alipay, the automatic payment options provided to Uber rides by bKash will bring more relief to customers during this pandemic.

The experience of this new digital payment facility will further drive the adoption of uninterrupted ride-sharing services. The payment service for world-leading ride-sharing company Uber will enhance the existing network of diversified digital payment solutions and services bKash provides to local consumers." How to add the payment option:

Select "Wallet" or "Payment" in the touch menu Tap "Add Payment Method" Tap "bKash" and add your account informationReceive a notification for successfully linking bKash to Uber If bKash is not included in your payment method options, you may need to reinstall the app on your device. However, after adding bKash, subsequent Uber trips will be automatically paid from the bKash account once the trip is completed.