Online Desk : Banks` transaction hours have been raised by half an hour as they will now operate from 10 am to 2:30 pm from May 24 to until May 30.

Bangladesh Bank issued a circular on Sunday for all the banks in compliance with the Cabinet Division`s latest directives on the countrywide lockdown to contain Coronavirus transmission, reports UNB.

The banks can keep open offices until 4 pm to do their necessary activities, said the BB circular.

Currently, banks have been operating transactions from 10 am to 2 pm while in the normal situation they operate from 10 pm to 4 pm.

The BB circular said all other instructions will remain unchanged as per the circular of April 13.

In that circular it said banks can keep one non-AD branch open within 2km radius in the city corporation areas and at upazila level one branch of each bank can remain open on Thursday, Sunday and Tuesday.

Banks have to take measures to provide transport facilities for the staff during the period.

The BB circular said during the banking transaction hours, banks have to ensure different kinds of services including clearing of cheques, withdrawal and deposits of money, money transfer, the release of remittance, encashment of different instruments and also receipt of the payments of bills of different utilities.

BB said banks have to continue services like disbursement of loans, incentives, payment of salaries of different industries and also the purchase of export bills, loan sanction and distribution.

Banks have to follow instructions in keeping the branches located in the port areas in discussion with the local administration and other authorities, as per the circular issued on August 5 last year, it said.

Banks have to operate with limited staff under a roster system.

They have to ensure operation of ATM booths to facilitate transaction through cards by supplying adequate cash in the machines while the evening banking and weekly holiday banking activities will remain closed until further order, said the circular issued on April 13.