Home SWIFT/BIC code Bangladesh

Bangladesh SWIFT/BIC code validator

How the SWIFT/BIC code format works

Format
8 or 11-character bank identifier code, country code BD in positions 5-6
Example
BSONBDDH

Things to watch for

  • Structure: 4-letter bank code + BD (country) + 2-character location code, plus an optional 3-character branch code
  • An 8-character code (or one ending XXX) refers to the bank's head office in Dhaka — nearly every major bank shares DH as the location code
  • No checksum digit — this is a format check only; it confirms positions 5-6 read BD, not that the bank or branch actually exists
Regex for SWIFT/BIC code
^[A-Z]{4}BD[A-Z0-9]{2}([A-Z0-9]{3})?$

A Bangladeshi SWIFT/BIC code identifies the bank on an international wire transfer into or out of Bangladesh. Bangladesh doesn’t use IBANs, so the BIC works alongside the recipient’s routing number and account details rather than a single combined code. Every Bangladeshi BIC has BD fixed at positions 5-6, right after the 4-letter bank code, and the country’s largest banks all anchor their SWIFT head office in Dhaka.

Major Bangladeshi bank BIC prefixes

Bank BIC Location
Sonali Bank BSONBDDH Dhaka
BRAC Bank BRAKBDDH Dhaka
Islami Bank Bangladesh IBBLBDDH Dhaka
Dutch-Bangla Bank DBBLBDDH Dhaka

How this validator works

This tool checks that the code is 8 or 11 characters, the first 4 characters are letters, positions 5-6 read BD, and the location and optional branch segments use only letters and digits — entirely client-side, with nothing sent to a server.

What a pass doesn’t tell you

A pass confirms the code fits the Bangladeshi BIC pattern, not that BSON, BRAK, IBBL, or DBBL still names an operating bank, or that the branch suffix is current. A BIC carries no checksum digit, so a fabricated code that matches the shape still validates.

Scope: format validation only, and only for the BIC used on cross-border transfers — it does not check the domestic routing number entered alongside it.

SWIFT/BIC code FAQ

What's the SWIFT code format for a Bangladeshi bank?

A Bangladeshi BIC is 8 or 11 characters: a 4-letter bank code, BD fixed at positions 5-6, a 2-character location code, and an optional 3-character branch code — for example BSONBDDH for Sonali Bank.

Why do most Bangladeshi BICs end in DH?

DH is the SWIFT location code for Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital and financial centre — nearly every major Bangladeshi bank registers its head office there.

Is a SWIFT/BIC code the same as a Bangladeshi bank account number?

No. Bangladesh does not issue IBANs, so a cross-border payment pairs the BIC with the recipient's domestic branch and account number rather than one combined identifier.

← More SWIFT/BIC code validators