Bangladesh Bank has asked the non-bank financial institutions to reopen for emergency services on a limited scale amid a lockdown over the coronavirus outbreak.

The institutions can reopen one branch in Dhaka and another outside the capital besides relevant departments in the headquarters on Thursday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, the central bank said in a notice on Wednesday.

Customers can complete emergency tasks, such as withdrawing fixed deposit after the end of term and deposit instalments for loans. 

The government extended the lockdown restrictions twice to Apr 28 as a surge in coronavirus cases and deaths continued.

Banks and the stock market have been operating on a limited scale since the beginning of the lockdown on April 5. Now the non-bank financial institutions are reopening.

Bangladesh has 34 non-bank financial institutions.