Banks to operate from 10 am to 2 pm from Thursday

Banks will operate from 10 am to 2 pm from May 6 to 16 for normal transactions as the government has extended the ongoing lockdown to contain the Covid-19 transmission.

However, banks will remain  open until 3:30 for conducting other necessary activities.

Bangladesh Bank issued this instruction in compliance with the directives of the Cabinet Division, said a central bank circular on Wednesday.Normally, banks operate from 10 am to 4 pm everyday.

Earlier, banks were operating from 10 am to 1 pm keeping office open until 2:30 pm for other necessary works as per the directives of the government.

According to a Bangladesh Bank circular, banks will keep open its branches located from May 10-13 at the industrial areas to facilitate salary disbursement for workers and employees of the export-oriented garment Industries (depending on the moon sight for Eid).

It said all other instructions will remain unchanged as per the circular of April 13 where it was said that banks can keep one non-AD branch open within 2 km radius in the city corporation areas and in upazila level one branch of each bank can open on Thursday, Sunday and Tuesday.

The banks have to take measures to provide transport facilities for the staff during the period.

The BB circular also said, during the banking transaction hours, the banks have to ensure different kinds of services including clearing of cheques, withdrawal and deposits of money, money transfer, release of remittance, encashment of different instruments and also receipt of the payments of bills of different utilities.BB said banks have to continue services like disbursement of loans, incentives, payment of salaries of different industries and also the purchase of export bills, loan sanction and distribution.

The banks have to follow instructions in keeping the branches located in the port areas  in discussion with the local administration and other authorities, as per circular issued on August 5 last year, it said.

The banks have to operate their activities with limited staff under a roster system.

They have to ensure operation of the ATM booths to facilitate transaction through cards by supply of adequate cash in the machines while the evening banking and weekly holiday banking activities will remain closed until further order, said the circular, said the circular  issued on April 13.