Banks saw modest business activities on Friday and Saturday, bankers said.
“We have seen a lot of cash withdrawal from all branches,” said Helal Ahmed Chowdhury, managing director of Pubali Bank. The banks will remain off today, as the nation goes to the polls. “Some of our branches saw 60-65 percent transactions, compared to a normal banking day,” Chowdhury said.
Bangladesh Bank directed all scheduled banks to keep their branches open in 59 districts out of 64 on Friday and Saturday, the two weekly holidays. Banks in five districts—Joypurhat, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Rajbari and Chandpur—were out of the purview of this instruction as there is no elections.

Arifur Rahman, head of United Commercial Bank's New Eskaton branch said his branch handled a good number of customers yesterday. “But Friday was a dull day for us,” he said.
Shahinur Alam, foreign trade in-charge of One Bank at Dhaka Export Processing Zone, also said the same on the cash withdrawal trend. “Basically, our clearing and cash counters were open on these two days. There was no such work for other desks,” Alam said.

Banks remained open on many weekly holidays last year as shutdowns and blockades called by the opposition disrupted services.