Banks ordered to return to normal working hours

The central bank yesterday ordered banks to run their branches like in normal times to give a boost to the economy although the COVID-19 caseload is showing no sign of coming down.

The Bangladesh Bank lifted the curtailed roster arrangement that was put in place on 22 March to protect employees from the deadly virus.

Now, lenders were asked to operate banking operations from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm like they did before the pandemic hit the country.

The employees who contracted the virus will be allowed to stay home upon submitting a medical certificate. Similarly, pregnant female workers are spared.

The central bank, however, instructed banks to ensure employees follow the social distancing guidelines while working in branches.

Banks will be allowed to hold regular meetings and bankers will be allowed to travel abroad.  

"A good number of people are still being infected by the coronavirus, so the central bank should not have lifted the alternative roster," said a central banker requesting anonymity as he is not authorised to speak with the media.

Rather, the central bank could have given the responsibility to banks to decide on whether they would follow the roster or not, he said. 

The move from the central bank came although the infections from the coronavirus are rising.

Some 3,200 people tested positive for COVID-19, according to a press release of the Directorate General of Health Services yesterday. This took the caseload to 282,344.

As many as 46 people died from the disease in the last 24 hours, the DGHS said. The total number of deaths has now reached 3,740.

Bangladesh is the 16th worst-affected country in the world in terms of fatalities.