Banks will operate from 10am to 1 pm for general transactions on April 12 (Monday)  and 13 (Tuesday). If necessary, they can remain open up to 3pm for execution of other required activities.

Bangladesh Bank issued a circular on Sunday in this regard as follow-up of previous circular issued on April 4, saying that all other instructions will remain unchanged given in the previous one.

Earlier, the central bank instructed banks to operate from 10am to 12:30pm for general transactions during the lockdown period from April 5 to 11.

Also read: Worsening Covid crisis: Bangladesh resorting to full lockdown

It also said that 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.  

The banks can operate one branch where they have more than one branches within the radius of two kilometres in metropolitan and district headquarters through internal coordination, it said.

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.

Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh records highest single-day deaths

They have to keep open branches designated as authorised dealers for facilitating the export-import business.

The banks have to ensure maintaining the health and safety instructions about the coronavirus in discussion with the local administration and other authorities, it said.

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 earlier circular issued on April 4.