All scheduled banks in the country will remain closed for three days, from 20 to 22 October, for the upcoming Durga Puja festival. The following two days, Friday and Saturday, are weekly holidays. As a result, banks will remain closed for five consecutive days, from 20 to 24 October.
Bangladesh Bank issued a circular on Sunday announcing the directive. However, banks have been instructed to remain open on weekly holiday, Saturday, 17 October, as on a regular working day.
Meanwhile, no trading will take place on the country’s two stock exchanges—the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE)—during the bank holidays.
As stock market transactions are linked to banking operations, the stock markets will also remain closed for five consecutive days.
Although banks will remain closed from 20 to 22 October, limited banking services will continue in port and customs areas to keep import and export activities running.
The Bangladesh Bank circular further states that bank branches and booths in seaports, land ports and airports, including port and customs areas, must maintain limited operations during the Puja holidays to ensure that the country’s import and export trade continues uninterrupted.
Banks will take the necessary measures after consulting local administrations and port or customs authorities.
On 7 October, the Ministry of Public Administration issued a circular declaring holidays from 20 to 22 October for Sharadiya Durga Puja. It stated that all government, semi-government, autonomous, semi-autonomous and private offices would remain open on Saturday, 17 October.