PSD Circular Letter No. 08: Continuation of Uninterrupted Banking and Payment Services in Response to COVID-19

Payment Systems Department
Bangladesh Bank
Head Office, Dhaka.
PSD Circular Letter No. 08/2021 Dated: 07 July 2021

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer
All Scheduled Banks
Head Office

Dear Sir,

In the context of maintaining uninterrupted banking and payment service operations in the situation arising from COVID-19.

In continuation of the DOS Circular Letter No. 28 dated 06/07/2021 of the Department of Offsite Supervision (DOS) and the PSD Circular No. 09/2021 dated 30/06/2021 of this department regarding the continuation of banking services, the operating hours for interbank payment platforms for the provision of essential banking services from 08/07/2021 onwards are determined as follows:

(1) Transactions through Bangladesh Clearing House (BANCS):
a) BANCS Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) - Morning Session - 12:00 PM Afternoon Session - 01:30 PM BANCS Local Clearing - Morning Session - 12:30 PM Afternoon Session - 3:00 PM b) The two sessions of Bangladesh Automated Clearing House (BACH) will remain open on the relevant days according to the existing schedule.

(2) The schedule for transactions through Bangladesh Automated Clearing House (BACH) has been determined from 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM. However, only customs duties, fees, charges, etc., and interbank transactions can be executed until 3:30 PM.

(3) All other instructions of PSD Circular No. 09/2021 issued on 30-06-2021 will remain unchanged.

This schedule will remain in force until further instructions are issued.

Yours faithfully,

(Rafiza Akhtar Kanta)
Deputy General Manager
Phone: 9530311