BB allows banking in lockdown areas

Bangladesh Bank (BB) on Tuesday asked banks to keep their branches open in areas where lockdowns have been imposed amid a surge in Covid-19 infections, after having discussion with respective metropolitan and district administrations.

Lockdowns have recently been imposed in Chapainawabganj district and Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar to curb the increasing rate of Covid-19 cases in those areas.

The banking regulator has issued a notice to this end saying the respective banks will have to inform the local administrations about their employees who will go to the branches located at the lockdown areas.

Lately, the central bank extended the banking hour by half an hour on May 24 and decided to keep banks open from 10:00am to 2.30pm until May 30.

The banking watchdog took the decision after the government extended the nationwide restrictions on public movement until May 30 to curb the second wave of the Covid-19 infections.