Bangladesh Bank has further extended the currently maintained limited banking transaction hours until May 5 in compliance with the government’s decision to extend the strict lockdown for one week more.

According to a Bangladesh Bank circular, issued on Wednesday, the current banking transactions hours from 10 am to 1 pm will continue till May 5 in accordance with the Cabinet Division’s memo on this matter. 

Earlier, Bangladesh Bank in a circular on April 13 said, instructed the banks to operate general transactions from 10 am to 1 pm and keep open until 2:30 pm for necessary works every working day until April 21 and then it was extended until April 28.

Normally, banks operate from 10 am to 4 pm everyday.

Also read: Bangladesh extends lockdown until May 5

The new circular also said that 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.

Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh sees 77 deaths, new cases 2,955

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 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.