Sales of savings certificates resume this week

Savers can invest and reinvest in national savings certificates on Wednesdays and Thursdays from this week during the ongoing general holidays.

The National Savings Bureau and all district savings offices will remain open from 10 am to 1 pm during the days every week for saving certificates related transaction. 

To this end, National Savings Directorate issued a circular on April 23 that also instructed all employees to abide by safety rules while discharging duty. They have to carry office identity cards and copies of the office order to avail uninterrupted transport services.

All zonal offices of the Bangladesh Bank, Sonali Bank, Janata Bank, Argani Bank, Rupali Bank, Krishi Bank, Islami Bank and City Bank have also been asked to keep open their respective branches linked to savings bureaus. 

On March 26, the government enforced the countrywide shutdown to curb the spread of coronavirus pandemic. The shutdown has been extended several time so far.

Investors also can encash mature savings certificates and get coupon payments within the limited banking hours during the shutdown following a Bangladesh Bank circular issued on April 5.

During the shutdown, the government asked banks to keep their services open on a limited scale so that people could draw money to meet their financial needs.

In this limited scale operation, the banks will provide services such as cash transaction, cheque clearing, demand draft, pay orders, treasury challan (bill) submission and others under the payment and clearing system.