Non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) will remain open on a limited scale amid the extended lockdown aimed to provide emergency financial services to clients.
Only two branches of an NBFI — one in Dhaka and another outside the capital — and the main offices will remain open from 10am to 2pm amid the extended lockdown from April 22 to April 28.
Except on weekly and government holidays, the NBFIs will remain open to provide emergency financial services such as cash deposits on maturity and paying the instalments of loans, according to a Bangladesh Bank notice issued on Wednesday.
The central bank said that the NBFIs should maintain health guidelines and the arrangement and presence of the required manpower will have to be completed by the relevant organizations in this case.
There are 34 NBFIs in the country, which were closed amid the strict lockdown that began on April 14 to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Then, the Bangladesh Bank decided to keep only the banks open on a limited scale during the period.
Banks, the stock market, and insurance offices will continue to function on a limited scale as the government has extended the ongoing lockdown for another week till April 28.
Besides the commercial banks, only seven departments of the Bangladesh Bank, including the Payment System Department, ICT Infrastructure Maintenance and Management Department, Common Services Department and Forex Reserve, and Treasury Management Department, are open amid the countrywide lockdown.
