Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, Bangladesh Bank has announced that all financial institutions across the country—including their branches, booths, and business centers—will remain open on two upcoming Saturdays, May 17 and 24, despite those days being part of the regular weekly holiday. This decision follows a directive issued by the Ministry of Public Administration on May 7, which called for government offices to remain operational on those Saturdays for administrative convenience. The central bank's Financial Institutions and Markets Department (DFIM) issued the instruction on Thursday (May 8), invoking powers under Section 41(2)(g) of the Financial Institutions Act, 2023. The notice has already been sent to the managing directors and chief executive officers of all licensed financial institutions operating in the country.