Mad rush at banks ahead of Eid holidays

Banks in the capital city on Sunday saw a massive number of people, who mainly withdrew money, ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.

Bank officials said they faced immense difficulties in maintaining health protocols and providing services to the huge number of clients since the morning, reports Bangla Tribune.

Branches of different banks across the country reportedly also went through the same situation.

Officials said that the presence of Eid-centric customers grew high as Bangladesh Bank has announced that banks would be closed on Thursday, Friday and Saturday due to the Eid holidays.

The banks will remain open on Tuesday and Wednesday considering the welfare of the customer, said Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Md Sirajul Islam.

“It is a long-standing tradition for banks to remain closed on the day before Eid day. But this time an exception has been made. Although the Eid is likely to fall on Thursday, the bank will remain open on Wednesday,” he told Bangla Tribune.

Abdul Salam, a senior officer at Dutch Bangla Bank’s Motijheel branch, said they started facing the pressure from around 10am and the number of clients increased as the day progressed. “Maximum came to withdraw money.”

Not just Motijheel, bank branches and ATM booths in many areas of Dhaka city also experienced the mad rush since opening the doors in the morning. 

Around 11am, standing in a queue at the Bank Asia branch at Motijheel, one Rahmat Ali said he was there from 10am to withdraw some cash for Eid shopping.

Central bank Deputy Governor Abu Farah Mohammad Naser told Bangla Tribune that the banks will remain closed on Monday for Shab-e-Qadr.

He added that the banks will also remain open on Tuesday and Wednesday. “But if Eid falls on May 14 (Friday), then only the branches associated with transactions related to the garment industry and exports will remain open on Wednesday.”

Bangladesh Bank has also asked bank branches in Dhaka, Ashulia, Tongi, Gazipur, Savar, Bhaluka, Narayanganj and Chittagong to remain open on May 10 and May 13, if Eid falls on Friday, for paying salaries and allowances of garment workers and employees and continue exports.