Banks and Stock Market Open Today Ahead of Five Consecutive Days of Holidays

PNN News Desk | Dhaka

Banks and the stock market across Bangladesh will operate normally today, Saturday (October 17), to accommodate the five-day holiday period surrounding the Sharadiya Durga Puja celebrations. Although Saturday is a weekly holiday, banks have been kept open in accordance with instructions from Bangladesh Bank.

Scheduled holidays for the country’s commercial banks will run from October 20 to 22 on the occasion of Durga Puja. With the weekly holidays added to this period, regular banking operations would otherwise remain suspended for five consecutive days. Consequently, a decision was made to keep banks open today, Saturday, before the holiday break begins.

Bangladesh Bank issued a circular last Sunday directing banks to remain open on October 17. According to the instructions, banking operations will be conducted according to the prescribed schedule. Normal trading and other activities will also continue in the stock market today.

Meanwhile, special arrangements have been made to prevent disruptions to the country’s international trade during the holidays. Under the instructions, bank branches and booths located at seaports, land ports and airports must continue providing limited import-export-related banking services during the government holidays from October 20 to 22 and the weekly holidays on October 23 and 24.

Banks have been instructed to take the necessary measures in coordination with local administrations and customs authorities. As a result, although regular banking operations will remain suspended during the holidays, essential transactions and services associated with international trade will be able to continue.