Normalcy returning to city after Eid

FE Report | Published: August 04, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

Officials and employees of the city's various government, semi-government and private sector offices as well as business centres and financial institutions arrived at their respective workstations Sunday. It was 'unofficially' the first working day after the Eid festival, as a number of working people were on leave until Saturday.
Muslims in Bangladesh celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr on July 29, and the government-declared holiday was from July 28 to July 30.
However, many people enjoyed a five-daylong vacation from Monday last to Saturday.
A section of people came back to the city Wednesday, as Thursday was officially the first working day after the three-day Eid vacation. But most of the officials who joined their offices on that day passed a relaxed time, exchanging Eid greetings with one another.
The city will return to its usual look by this week, officials said.
During a random visit to the Bangladesh Secretariat Sunday, it was seen that almost all the ministers and officials were present in their offices. Business went on as usual and crowd of visitors was normal at various ministries, although many ministers left their offices before 5:00 pm.
A housing ministry official told the FE that they had cent per cent attendance. Echoing him a health ministry official said their ministry also experienced full attendance.
The city roads were almost free of crowd, traffic jam and usual hustle-bustle, and some of the shopping malls were partially opened.
Senior executive officer of Social Islami Bank Ltd (SIBL) Foreign Exchange Branch Zahid Hasan Chowdhury told the FE that there was moderate pressure of clients at the bank. The amount of money withdrawal was more than that of deposit Sunday, he added.
"As people can withdraw a limited amount of money from ATMs, and the banks could not send money to the ATMs after Thursday, queues were long at the cash counters for money withdrawal."
He said the banks' big clients, which run production units, are yet to start operation of all their units in full swing after Eid. So they withdrew a small amount of money Sunday. It will take another two to three days for full-fledged banking transactions, he added.
Managing director of a private company told the FE that his office opened Saturday. But last two days (Sat-Sun) were dull, as most of his officers and staffs passed time by exchanging Eid greetings.
Offices will see normal working situation after this week, he opined.