Banks and the country’s stock markets will operate normally on Saturday, October 17, despite it being a weekly holiday, to adjust for the extended Durga Puja holidays.

According to a Bangladesh Bank circular, all scheduled banks will remain open as usual on Saturday, while banks will be closed from October 20 to 22 for Durga Puja. Government and private offices will also operate on October 17 under a government directive.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) will remain closed from October 20 to 24, covering the three-day festival holiday and the weekly holidays on Friday and Saturday. Both exchanges will remain open on October 17, although the DSE had not issued a separate notice detailing trading hours at the time of reporting.

As a result, banks will remain closed for five consecutive days from October 20 to 24. However, bank branches and booths in seaports, land ports and airports are generally required to maintain round-the-clock services. Banks have also been instructed to coordinate with local administrations and port or customs authorities to facilitate import-export activities on a limited scale during the holidays.