Bangladesh Bank (BB) has instructed banks to follow until February 21 the guidelines it issued earlier for operating banking activities to fight off Covid-19.

The payment system department of BB on Thursday asked banks to follow the guidelines till February 21 considering the present situation of Covid-19 pandemic.

On January 24, the central asked banks to operate those with half of their manpower as per the government’s instructions to prevent Covid-19 virus infection.

The central bank’s Department of Off-Site Supervision issued guidelines adding that banking activities should be conducted with half the staff through roster following the hygiene rules.

However, the concerned institution will be able to decide on its own need to continue the required banking services, it said.

The central renewed the instruction on Thursday and sent it to the top executives of banks to follow the hygiene rules for preventing the spread of coronavirus.

As per the guidelines, officers / employees doing office physically must be fully vaccinated.

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It said officers / employees absent from the office at that time will be considered as working from home.

Officers / employees working from home will be stationed at their respective workplaces and will complete the official activities virtually (e-tendering, e-mail, SMS, WhatsApp and other means).

Hygiene rules must be followed by all officers / employees of banks-financial institutions. Customers who come to receive services must wear masks.

The central bank also instructed banks to keep enough money in the ATM outlets and Mobile Financial Service along with assigned adequate manpower for ensuring uninterrupted financial services to meet necessary cash demand of customers.