Banks to continue operating on half staff till 21 Feb
The new instructions were issued on Thursday by the central bank’s Department of Off-Site Supervision
The Bangladesh Bank has asked banks to operate with half their manpower on-site at bank branches, till 21 February. This extends the initial directive another 14 days, in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The central bank earlier asked banks on 24 January to work with half their employees on-site till 7 February amid rising Covid cases owing to the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant. Remaining employees are to work remotely, as needed.
The new instructions were issued by the central bank's Department of Off-Site Supervision (DOS) on Thursday.
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The new instructions have been issued in view of the directive issued by the Cabinet on 3 February for conducting banking activities amid the rise of the new coronavirus variant Omicron, the DOS said.
According to the earlier central bank instruction, banking work should be done with half the number of officers and employees on-site at bank branches, following hygiene rules. However, in order to continue providing essential banking services, the institutions concerned will also be able to take their own decisions on the matter.
