Staff Correspondent:

The banking sector has returned to its traditional schedule after a two-year hiatus following the Eid-ul-Azha holidays.

From now on, banks will be open from 10:00am to 6:00pm.

However, transactions will only be open to the public from 10am to 4pm. The remaining two hours will be designated for office purposes.

Bangladesh Bank will also follow the 10am to 6pm schedule, like commercial banks.

Bank employees enjoyed a five-day break for Eid-ul-Azha as the three-day public holiday began right after the weekend.

As such, banks and the stock market resumed operations from Wednesday, despite the low attendance of bankers and customers.

On the first working day following the holidays, bankers exchanged Eid greetings with each other. There was a festive atmosphere at the banks as there were few clients after Eid.

Sonali Bank’s Bangabandhu Avenue Corporate Branch Manager Abdul Quddus said: “There are no issues at work, even though some employees are still on vacation. Customers came to deposit money one hour after the bank opened.”

However, the Dhaka Stock Exchange has said it will stick to its previous schedule even after the new working hours were introduced on Wednesday.

Trading will begin at 10am and continue until 2:20pm. After that, there will be a 10 minute post-closing period. Office hours are from 9am to 5pm.