Bangladesh Bank (BB) will start to exchange newly printed notes of different denominations from today (Sunday) on occasion of Eid-ul-Azha and Durga Puja for meeting the additional demand for cash during the upcoming festivals.

The new notes will be distributed from the Dhaka office and other offices of the central bank until the last working day before Eid.

The new notes will also be available in 11 branches of nine commercial banks in the city, said a BB statement on Saturday. Anyone willing to collect the notes can visit those 11 bank branches in the city.

Like every year, this year the BB will gradually release notes and coins worth more than Tk 200 billion in the festivals, said a BB official. It will issue the new coins and notes of various denominations, such as Tk 2, Tk 5, Tk 10, Tk 20, Tk 50, Tk 100, Tk 500 and Tk 1,000 on the occasion of Eid and Puja, he said.

Along with the new banknotes, all existing paper notes in the same denominations will also remain in circulation.
The central bank has already taken necessary measures against circulation of counterfeit currencies in the cattle markets.

Another BB official said that the BB had urged home and law ministries, and police and Rapid Action Battalion to take necessary measures against fake currencies so that counterfeit notes could not enter the money market during the festivals.

The name of the banks braches are: Press Club Branch and Elephant Road Branch of Agrani Bank, Ramna Branch and Bangabandhu Branch of Sonali Bank, New Market Branch of Janata Bank, Sadarghat Branch of Pubali Bank, Bashundhara City Market Branch of Social Islami Bank, Gulshan Branch of Dutch- Bangla Bank, Kawran Bazar Branch of Southeast Bank, Malibagh Branch of Prime Bank and Jatrabari Branch of Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd. respectively.

The central bank would launch campaign in print and electronic media about the counterfeit notes to create awareness among people.

Besides, the teams of the BB and the commercial banks would also visit the cattle markets to detect the counterfeit notes.

The BB asked all deputy commissioners to take measures at the main cattle markets of the districts to detect the counterfeit notes. Generally, during Eid demand for new notes increases many folds as it has become a custom to distribute fresh notes among the kids and youngsters as Eid selami (gift) in Bangladesh. Many Hindu people also pay money to their relatives on the occasion of Dashami of Durga Puja. The money is meant to be spent in the Puja fair.

News: The Daily Independent/Bangladesh/14th-Oct-12