Banking days increased as Male’ eases lockdown

The Maldivian government has announced it will allow an increase in banking days and an expansion in banking services with the ease in the lockdown on the capital.

The Greater Male’ Region went into lockdown on April 15, within hours after the populous capital identified its first coronavirus case. Male’ soon became the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, contributing to more than 1,400 of its 1,481 cases.

The city-wide lockdown is set to expire this Thursday, and Health Minister Abdulla Ameen, in a press conference at the National Emergency Operations Center on the late hours of Wednesday, announced plans on easing the restrictive measures in the capital.

The first phase will last two weeks, and the easements announced for the phase are mainly to promote economic activity.

Ameen announced that banks will open for three days in the first week of phase one, and for five days in the second week.

Banks in the country are currently opening for two days a week, and offering only the most essential services.

The national bank, Bank of Maldives (BML) closed its branches and service centers with the lockdown on the capital, but has since switched many of its services to virtual platforms. The bank recently announced that 90 percent of the bank’s transactions are now made virtually.

Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB) too, is opening two days a week. It has advised customers to limit bank visits so it is is only to gain access to essential services which are unavailable through its virtual platforms.