Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- The commercial banks are free to keep open their all branches or selective branches on Saturday to facilitate the business activities across the country before the Eid vacation, officials said.
The central bank of Bangladesh issued a circular in this connection on Thursday and asked the chief executives of all scheduled banks for taking necessary measures to ensure the security of the branches.
The country's trade bodies earlier urged the Bangladesh Bank (BB) governor to take measures for keeping bank branches open Saturday before the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday starts.
They appealed for keeping all branches of commercial and state-run banks open full day Saturday for bringing dynamism to export business and ensure payment of salaries and bonus to the workers.
"Bank managements may fix the number of branches to be opened and banking hours on September 19 (Saturday)," a senior official of the Bangladesh Bank (BB) said, adding that the central bank has already given permission to two private commercial banks to keep open their some selective branches ahead of the Eid festival.
The central bank also asked the banks to ensure security of the branches through taking help of local police stations along with their own arrangements, the official added.
The branches of banks at air, sea and land ports will operate their functions during two-day weekend to facilitate foreign trade, the central bank said in a directive issued earlier.
Besides, the banks authorities are allowed to keep open their foreign exchange branches, official known as authorized dealer (AD) branches Saturday across the country.
Currently, around 770 foreign exchange branches are operating their businesses in the country.
The country’s commercial banks will remain closed for five days from September 18 to September 22 because of Shab-e-Qadr and Eid-ul-Fitr holidays under a central bank directive.
The holiday for Eid-ul-Fitr will start on September 20 (Sunday) and continue until September 22 as the Eid is expected on September 21 (Monday).
But, if the moon is sighted on September 21, the holiday will extend by a day to September 23 by the government’s executive order.
BBN/SS/SI/AD-17September09-8:32 pm (BST)