Banks and the stock market will return to their normal activities from tomorrow as the government looks to partially reopen the economy despite a surge in coronavirus infections.

All the branches and offices will be kept open from Wednesday, said Bangladesh Bank (BB) in a circular yesterday.

Clients will be able to conduct transactions from 10:00am to 4:00pm through banks, which will remain open until 6:00pm from tomorrow.

Banks had to reduce opening hours in April this year after the caseloads of Covid-19 patients began rising alarmingly, forcing the government to impose a countrywide strict lockdown.

In line with banks, trading hours at the stock exchanges were also reduced.

From last week, the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission allowed the full session of trading to run for four and a half hours from 10:00am to 2:30pm.

Banks were shut on Sunday to contain the latest wave of the pandemic and so was the stock market.

The government will be easing restrictions from tomorrow to allow public transportation to run for the first time in four months.

In its directive, Bangladesh Bank asked banks to provide services by maintaining social distancing, health guidelines and ensuring that masks were worn.