Changing the previous day’s decision on closure of banks, Bangladesh Bank on Tuesday took a fresh decision that banks will operate from 10 am to 1 pm for general transactions from April 14 to April 21 during the 'all-out lockdown' declared by the government.

The banks can remain open up to 2:30 pm for execution of other required activities, said a Bangladesh Bank circular, issued at 8 pm on Tuesday.

They can keep one non-AD branch open within 2 km radius in the city corporation area and in upazila level one branch of each bank can open on Thursday, Sunday and Tuesday, it said. 

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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.

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The banks have to follow instructions in keeping the branches located in the port areas about the coronavirus 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 through limited staffs under a rostering.

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.