Bankers are considered the frontline workers given their role in keeping the wheels of the economy moving, but they are now afraid of performing their job amidst the strict restrictions on movement imposed by the government.

A good number of employees working in the different government and private organisations can feel a bit relaxed during the restrictions on movement as they may not have to go to their work stations to some extent.

Although the central bank has asked banks to introduce alternate duty rosters to operate their financial services, a majority of bankers will have to go to offices every day in the interest of the economy.

A good number of bankers yesterday said they were in panic to do their job during the restrictions on movements given the previous experiences of lockdown imposed by the government spanning from the last week of March to May last year.

The major problem is attending office on time as public transport services will be banned during the unusual period, said Md Asadullahil Galib, an executive officer of the South Bangla Agriculture and Commerce Bank.

Although a government circular has asked all public and private organisations to pick and drop their employees to the offices, this is a tough job for banks to provide such transport facilities to their employees given the large numbers.

The number of employees in the banking sector stood at 1.83 lakh as of December last year, data from the central bank showed.

The central bank has reduced banking hours from today in tune with a new restriction on movements declared by the government to keep the coronavirus pandemic at bay.

Clients will be allowed to settle financial transactions from 10:00am to 12:30pm on regular working days during the restriction on movement, according to a central bank notice.

Banks will have to close their branches and head offices within 2:00pm after completing their relevant banking activities.

The central bank also asked banks to keep adequate cash in ATM booths and run internet banking round the clock.

The government should have mentioned the issues of the bankers in its circular specifically, Galib said.

"We have to ride rickshaws due to the imposition of a ban on public transports. If rickshaw is not available, we will have to attend the office on foot," he said.

A good number of bankers had faced harassment from some members of the law-enforcement agencies during the lockdown period of last year, he said.

"We strongly hoped that the government and the central bank would take prompt initiative so that such unexpected incidents do not reoccur this time," he said.

Tanni Saha, a senior principal officer of Eastern Bank, said she did not have any idea how she would go to her office from today.

"I am living at Rampura in the capital, but my office is situated at Gulshan. This has created a great problem for me. I went to my office during the last year's lockdown by riding a private car belonging to one of my colleagues. In some cases, I used rickshaw as well," Tanni said.

Afsana Islam, a senior executive officer of Standard Bank, echoed the same.

"I am really in panic as some of my relatives have been diagnosed with the coronavirus," she said.

"Despite the second wave of the pandemic, I will go to my office in the interest of the economy," Afsana said.

Syed Mahbubur Rahman, managing director of Mutual Trust Bank, said his bank would try the utmost to provide transport facilities to all employees although it was difficult.

The central bank should focus on the issues such that bankers can go to their offices smoothly, he said.