DHAKA, May 25, 2026– Bangladesh Bank today announced a special banking schedule for Eid-ul-Azha 2026, specifying the opening and closing of branches and operations of digital and port-based financial services during the seven-day national holiday. Here’s what customers, garment workers, and businesses need to know.
The Core Schedule at a Glance
The official holiday period for the banking sector is from May 25 (Monday) to May 31 (Sunday), 2026. Commercial banks will fully reopen on 1 June. The directive from the central bank comes after the Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification on May 14, declaring the weekly holiday on Saturday, May 23, as a regular working day. So May 24 was the last full working day for banks ahead of Eid.
The Ministry of Public Administration has announced a seven-day holiday for Eid-ul-Azha for all government, semi-government, autonomous, semi-autonomous and private offices in the country from May 25 to May 31.
Pre-Eid: All Banks Were Open May 23 & 24
All scheduled bank branches, sub-branches and booths across the country remained open on May 23 (Saturday) and May 24 (Sunday), 2026, following regular banking schedules. Despite May 17 being a weekly holiday, all public and private banks and financial institutions operated as usual, with stock market transactions also continuing from 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM — part of the government’s special holiday coordination plan ahead of the Eid closure.
Which Branches Stay Open During Holidays: RMG & Industrial Zones
The most critical exception to the general closure covers garment workers and export-linked businesses. To ensure smooth payment of wages, bonuses, and other allowances for workers in the garment sector, Bangladesh Bank instructed commercial bank branches in Dhaka, Ashulia, Tongi, Gazipur, Savar, Bhaluka, Narayanganj, and Chattogram to continue limited banking operations on May 25 and 26.
These branches will operate with limited manpower while ensuring adequate security measures. For banks operating in industrial hubs, office hours will be from 10 am to 3 pm, while transaction hours will remain from 10 am to 1 pm.
This arrangement ensures that millions of readymade garment (RMG) workers receive their festival bonuses and wages before or during the Eid holiday — a long-standing priority of Bangladesh Bank’s Eid circulars.
Seaports, Land Ports and Airport Customs: Round-the-Clock Operations
For businesses dependent on trade corridors, Bangladesh Bank has ensured banking continuity at all major ports. Bank branches, sub-branches, and booths located in seaports, land ports, and airport areas must continue limited operations during the Eid holidays, except on Eid day itself, to support import and export activities.
Customs operations will also continue during all public and weekly holidays from May 25 to May 31, except on the day of Eid-ul-Azha itself. Customs activities on a limited scale will continue at the customs houses and stations in Dhaka, Chattogram, Benapole, ICD Kamalapur, Mongla, Pangaon, ICD Chattogram, and Bhomra.
Digital Payments, ATMs and MFS: No Interruption
For regular account holders with no branch access during the holidays, Bangladesh Bank has ensured uninterrupted access to digital channels. The central bank directed scheduled banks, mobile financial service (MFS) providers, payment service providers (PSPs), and payment system operators (PSOs) to ensure the continuous availability of electronic financial services throughout the holiday period.
BACH and RTGS: Clearing Systems on Restricted Schedule
For interbank and high-value transactions, Bangladesh Bank has also published restricted operating hours for its core clearing infrastructure. Services under BACH — including the Bangladesh Automated Cheque Processing System (BACPS) and Bangladesh Electronic Funds Transfer Network (BEFTN) — will operate on a restricted schedule. For BACPS, the presentment cut-off time for High Value Clearing has been set until 11:30 am. For Regular Value Clearing, the presentment cut-off time is 12 pm, while the return cut-off time is 1 pm.
Holiday Allowances for Bank Staff on Duty
Officials and employees assigned duties during the holiday period will be entitled to allowances as per existing rules and regulations. Bangladesh Bank has also directed all banks to coordinate closely with local administrations and port and customs authorities to ensure smooth operations across all active locations.
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Quick Reference: Eid Banking Schedule Summary
| Period | Status | Notes |
| May 23–24 | Open (all branches) | Regular banking hours |
| May 25–26 | Limited (selected branches) | RMG zones: 10 am–3 pm office, 10 am–1 pm transactions |
| May 27–30 | Closed (general branches) | Port/airport branches open except on Eid day |
| May 31 | Closed | Port/airport branches open except on Eid day |
| June 1 | Full resumption | Normal operations nationwide |
| ATMs & MFS | 24/7 all dates | Round-the-clock per the BB directive |
What Customers Should Do
- Withdraw sufficient cash before June 1 if not near an ATM-dense area
- Use bKash, Nagad, Rocket or other MFS for transfers and payments throughout the holiday
- Garment workers in the listed industrial zones can visit their bank branch on May 25–26 between 10 am and 1 pm for salary and bonus collections
- Importers and exporters can access banking services at all major ports and customs locations, excluding Eid day itself
- High-value cheque clearing must be submitted before 11:30 am on days BACH operates
