DHAKA, Dec 31, 2023 (BSS) - Banks will remain closed on January 7 to help bankers and other employees to cast their votes in the 12th national parliament election.

The Bangladesh Bank issued a circular to this effect today.

Earlier on December 28, the government declared January 7 (Sunday) as a general holiday for the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) elections to allow the voters to cast their votes without any hassle.

In response to a letter of the Election Commission, the Public Administration Ministry issued a gazette notification to this end.

The notification adds the holiday has been declared to allow officials and employees of all government, semi-government, autonomous and private offices and organizations and teachers, officers and employees of all public and private educational institutions to exercise their voting rights on that day.

The government employees will get three day holidays at a stretch as January 5 and 6 are weekend holidays and January 7 falls on Sunday which has been declared a general holiday.