Government offices to return to 9am-5pm schedule, bank transactions from 10am-4pm

The government had shifted office hours in 2022 to save on fuel

Government offices and autonomous institutions are set to return to the traditional 9am-5pm schedule at the end of the Eid-ul-Azha holidays on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, bank transactions will be conducted following a changed schedule – from 10am to 4pm.

Eid-ul-Azha was celebrated on Monday.

Jun 16, 17 and 18 were public holidays on the occasion of Eid. Government employees got a five-day break for Eid this time since the previous two days – Friday and Saturday – fell on the weekend.

After five straight days off, the country’s government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous offices will be reopened on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the government had decided to return to the traditional 9am-5pm office hours for all government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous institutions.

Following a decision at a cabinet meeting on Jun 3, Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain had said: “The office time was 9am to 4pm for a long period. Offices will remain open from 9am to 5pm after the Eid-ul-Azha holidays. There will be a break for prayers and lunch from 1pm-1:30pm. Weekly holidays will fall on Fridays and Saturdays.”

Government employees traditionally work on a 9am to 5pm schedule.

On Aug 24, 2022, the government brought changes to the schedule for offices and banks, cutting office hours to save power amid a fuel crisis. After the change, government and autonomous offices operated from 8am to 3pm for more than two months.

The government later readjusted the 8am-3pm schedule on Nov 15, 2022, and set a 9am-4pm schedule for government and autonomous institutions.

BANK TRANSACTIONS ON CHANGED SCHEDULE FROM WEDNESDAY

The banks will be able to conduct transactions from 10am to 4pm from Wednesday in line with the new schedule. They will also be able to stay open for office work from 10am-6pm, with the weekly holidays on Fridays and Saturdays.

The current banking transaction hours are from 10am to 3:30pm. They are also able to stay open for office work from 10am to 5pm. Accordingly, bank transactions will be extended by half an hour and offices will be open for an hour longer.

On Jun 9, the Department of Off-Site Supervision of Bangladesh Bank had issued a circular saying that bank operations will be conducted per the new schedule announced by the government from Jun 19 until further notice.