Scheduled Bangladeshi Bank Closures Extended For Seven Days

The central monetary authority of the nation, Bangladesh Bank, has officially announced a consecutive seven-day suspension of regular banking operations throughout the country in observance of the upcoming holy festival of Eid-ul-Adha. According to an official regulatory directive issued by the central repository on Monday, 18 May 2026, all scheduled commercial and state-owned banking institutions operating across Bangladesh will remain closed from Monday, 25 May to Sunday, 31 May 2026. Standard financial services and public counters will not be accessible to the general populace during this designated festive period, with normal nationwide operations set to resume fully on 1 June 2026.

The central bank clarified that this definitive administrative scheduling has been executed in strict alignment with a gazette notification previously finalised by the Ministry of Public Administration on 14 May. To ensure a smoother travel window for Eid vacationers, the government approved an executive order extending the holiday timeline.

However, to effectively manage the anticipated surge in financial transactions and substantial public pressure prior to the week-long closure, Bangladesh Bank has structured compensatory operational measures. Under these temporary arrangements, the Ministry of Public Administration officially cancelled the standard weekly holiday on Saturday, 23 May. Consequently, all branches and sub-branches of scheduled banking institutions across the country will remain fully open and conduct normal transactions on Saturday, 23 May, and Sunday, 24 May 2026, under their regular working hours, making 24 May the final full working day for the financial sector before the festival.

Specialised Windows for Garment Sector Hubs

Recognising the urgent cash requirements within the country’s macroscopic export engine, the central bank has formulated specific regulatory exceptions to ensure the seamless distribution of financial dues to ready-made garment (RMG) sector workers. To facilitate the timely disbursement of monthly salaries, festival bonuses, and outstanding institutional allowances to factory employees ahead of the festival, designated industrial zones will maintain access to localised banking services on 25 May and 26 May 2026.

According to the official circular sent to the chief executives of all scheduled banks, the areas selected for this targeted economic intervention encompass the Dhaka metropolitan area, Ashulia, Tongi, Gazipur, Savar, Bhaluka, Narayanganj, and the port city of Chittagong. Selected banking branches situated within these specified garment-dense clusters will operate with limited staff and heightened security protocols during the first two days of the national holiday sequence. Bangladesh Bank has mandated that the administrative office hours for these industrial branches will extend from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, whereas active financial transaction windows for public counters will be accessible strictly from 10:00 am until