The finance ministry in a gazette notification said that the decision was taken due to delay in preparing the scheme for restructuring of the bank.

On January 25, the government imposed the first six-month moratorium on the bank's major activities.

For restructuring the problem bank, Bangladesh Bank (BB) had sent a proposal to the finance ministry with two options, but the ministry sent back the proposal asking a number of clarifications.

The BB recently sent the proposal again to the ministry and sources said that it is currently under review.

In June last year, the central bank dissolved the board of directors of Oriental Bank and appointed an administrator from the central bank.

Later, the BB investigated into the bank's scam and found that its majority shareholders Obaidul Karim, former managing director Chowdhury Koyes Sami and a number of officials were involved in misappropriating about Tk 595 crore.

Meanwhile, the central bank yesterday asked all commercial banks to pay all import related accepted bills by next seven days following complaints from different sections that the banks are not paying huge amount of bills for a long time.