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This study aims to assess and rank all thanas in Bangladesh according to their performance in financial inclusion. It employed a composite index for that purpose, using three proxies of financial inclusion: deposit per account, advance per account, and advance deposit ratio. Cross-sectional data obtained from the Scheduled Banks Statistics of Bangladesh Bank are utilized to rank 615 thanas in Bangladesh. It categorizes 615 thanas into three classifications: high, medium, and poor financial inclusion. There are large differences in the availability and utilization of financial services among thanas. Thanas have a low level of integration into the formal financial system, as indicated by the average financial inclusion index of 0.068 and a maximum of 0.628. The rate of financial inclusion is continuously lower in rural, remote, and hilly regions compared to economically active and urban areas. Kotwali in Chattogram, Dhaka, etc., is a higher-ranked thana that demonstrates stronger financial inclusion, with higher per-account values and greater reliance on credit. By comparison, the lower-ranked thanas such as Ramgati, Char Shasivuson, Madan etc. are characterized by a low level of financial integration, poor institutionalization as well as extensive use of informal finance. The paper concludes that the present policy actions have failed to create broad financial inclusion improvements. It proposes multi-dimensional interventions, which are focused to tackle the urban-rural divide. This study will provide the policy makers with useful information to determine the actual situation by determining the highly included and excluded thanas in Bangladesh. Eventually, it will help the interested parties to develop thana or area-based measures to secure financial inclusiveness of all that result to promoting comprehensive and sustainable economic development. The study is also unique because it is likely to be the first initiative that has attempted the study at micro level i.e. thana based analysis of financial inclusion in Bangladesh.

Financial inclusion, especially the adoption of fintech, has emerged as a crucial avenue for removing the financial access divides in developing countries, including Bangladesh. Following the comprehensive analysis, this article intends to outline Bangladesh's recent experiences with fintech-based financial inclusion, identify the short-comings and hence make policy suggestions. Being a descriptive research, cross-sectional and observational research approaches are applied for the explanatory analysis of secondary data. Results suggest an urban-rural gap in the implementation of digital financial services, with urban areas consistently having higher rates of fully online branches and a greater number of financial machines. Despite this, the sharp rise in the issuance of active cards is a positive sign suggesting an expansion of consumer base and an adoption of electronic modes of payment. Moreover, inter-bank electronic fund transfers and online banking have experienced increasing uptake, revealing a progressing trend towards digital transactions within the banking industry. Additionally, the study identifies a speedy growth in the number of mobile financial services accounts in both urban and rural areas. This study adds to the exchange of ideas regarding financial inclusion by carrying out a detailed study of Bangladesh's digital financial transformation, exemplifying the accomplishments, obstacles, and future research directions. It highlights the need for targeted policies and ongoing research efforts to build inclusive financial systems to serve the entire society’s interest. Nevertheless, the observations will have both theoretical and practical significance, contributing towards building capability in harnessing technology for sustainability, community uplifting, and shaping a brighter future.