Written by The Banking Post
Bangladesh Bank has halted all citizen-facing services across its headquarters and regional offices, suspending the buying, selling and encashment of national savings certificates along with several other key facilities.
The move also affects prize bond services, the exchange of torn or damaged banknotes, and A-challan transactions, according to officials familiar with the decision.
The suspension covers the central bank’s Motijheel office as well as its branches in Chattogram, Khulna, Bogura, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Sadarghat, Barishal and Rangpur. Although the announcement was issued on Thursday, weekly holidays meant the halt effectively took effect on Sunday.
In its statement, Bangladesh Bank said the decision was taken “considering the security aspect as a KPI-included institution”. It added that the central bank would strengthen oversight to ensure commercial banks continued providing these services “without any obstruction”.
Despite this assurance, many customers prefer visiting the central bank directly, saying they receive faster and smoother service compared to commercial bank branches. For years, people from across Dhaka have queued at the Motijheel office to avoid delays elsewhere.
Bangladesh Bank had suspended these services once before, later restoring them following public pressure. This time, it has not said when the suspension will be lifted.
