Banks to open for 2hrs daily during lockdown

Bangladesh Bank yesterday instructed banks to run their operations on a limited scale next week, when a shutdown of all public and private offices will be in effect as part of the government's efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Bank branches will have to stay open from 10:00am to 12:00 noon, when they will only provide cash deposit and withdrawal services to their customers, according to a central bank notice.

Banks will have to ensure that the staff who are providing the service at the branches follow safety guidelines disseminated by the World Health Organisation.

The branches must be shut by 1:30pm after completion of all paperwork.

If a bank has multiple online service-enabling branches in a specific area, only one of them will be allowed to be opened.

For instance, every bank has a number of online branches in Motijheel area of the capital and just one of them will be open, said a central bank official. The remaining online branches of the lender in that area will have to stay closed.

Authorised dealer branches of banks can be opened if there is any need for foreign exchange settlement on an emergency basis.