Bangladesh Bank discusses 24/7 banking without internet

Bangladesh Bank has initiated discussions on how to keep banking services operational around the clock without relying on the internet.

The discussions took place during a meeting between the managing directors (MDs) of about a dozen banks and Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder.

During the meeting, the governor inquired about the losses and casualties in the banking sector amid the recent unrest.

It was then reported on behalf of the MDs that four employees from Dutch-Bangla Bank and Standard Chartered Bank were killed, and some ATM booths and branches were damaged.

The MDs also said that while bank branches were closed, ATMs remained operational. However, the internet shutdown disrupted online banking services.

The central bank then proposed an alternative system to keep banking services running without internet, and talks on this followed.

MDs from Sonali Bank, Dutch-Bangla Bank, The City Bank, Eastern Bank, Mutual Trust Bank, BRAC Bank, Bank Asia, Prime Bank, and Trust Bank attended the meeting.