B Mirror Report: Bangladesh Bank has introduced new operational hours for bank transactions, check clearing, and interbank payments, effective from Sunday, April 5, following government directives to save fuel and electricity amid the ongoing energy crisis. The central bank issued the directive on April 4 through its Payment Systems Department-2.

Under the new schedule, high-value checks above BDT 500,000 submitted to the Bangladesh Automated Clearing House (BSCH) must be sent by 12:00 PM for clearing by 2:00 PM, while regular checks below BDT 500,000 should be submitted by 12:30 PM and will be cleared by 4:00 PM. Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) transactions will operate from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with online transactions allowed until 4:00 PM. Interbank fund transfers and returns through RTGS can continue until 4:15 PM. The Bangladesh Electronic Funds Transfer Network (BEFTN) will follow its previous schedule.

To conserve energy, banks and non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) will also operate under shortened hours. Banking transactions will run from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, while office hours for banks and NBFIs will end at 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM, respectively. The government has similarly reduced office hours nationwide for public and private offices to 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM and instructed shops, shopping malls, and wedding venues to stop lighting by 6:00 PM.

These changes aim to maintain essential banking services while addressing the ongoing fuel and electricity shortages, ensuring minimal disruption to financial operations across the country.