The Election Commission has asked for keeping the country's scheduled banks open on Saturday next to facilitate the nomination paper submission in the upcoming national election and the referendum scheduled for February 12, 2026.

“It is requested, in accordance with instructions, to keep all scheduled banks across the country open on Saturday, December 27, 2025, to enable candidates to deposit the required money for their security deposits and purchase CDs of the voter list through bank draft, pay order, or treasury challan,” said a letter sent to the Governor of Bangladesh Bank by the EC on Wednesday.

The letter said that the Election Commission announced the schedule for the 13th National parliamentary election on December 11, 2025.

According to the schedule, the deadline for submitting nomination papers is December 29, 2025.

However, banks will be closed on December 25 (Thursday, Christmas Day) due to the public holiday as well as on December 26 (Friday) and December 27 (Saturday) due to weekly holidays, which would prevent candidates from depositing the necessary fees and payments during these three days.

In this circumstance, the EC asked for keeping the scheduled banks open on Saturday next

EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told reporters, “We have requested Bangladesh Bank to keep scheduled banks open this Saturday so that prospective candidates or their agents can complete the required payments without any inconvenience.”