Hyderabad, May 22. If you have an account with the State Bank of India (SBI) and have any urgent offline work pending, complete it today.

Banks are likely to remain closed for six consecutive days from May 23 to May 28. The main reasons are the fourth Saturday and Sunday weekend, a proposed two-day nationwide strike by employee unions, and the Bakrid (Eid-ul-Adha) festival, which may halt operations at branches.

Several important factors are behind this extended bank closure. Weekly holidays will be observed on May 23 and 24, while the All India State Bank of India Staff Federation (AISBISF) has called for a nationwide strike on May 25 and 26 in support of their demands.

The strike primarily aims to oppose job outsourcing and demand new recruitment. Following this, banks in some states will remain closed on May 27 and 28 due to the festival.

With branches closed, in-person tasks such as cash transactions, passbook updates, and check clearance may be affected. However, bank management has clarified that customers need not worry, as internet banking, the YONO app, UPI, and ATM services will operate normally 24×7.

Customers are advised to use digital banking tools as much as possible to avoid inconvenience.

State Bank of India (SBI)

The State Bank of India (SBI) is the largest public sector bank in India, with origins tracing back to the Bank of Calcutta, founded in 1806, which later became the Imperial Bank of India in 1921. In 1955, the Indian government nationalized the Imperial Bank, renaming it the State Bank of India to serve as a key instrument for rural and economic development. Today, SBI plays a central role in India’s banking system, offering a wide range of financial services domestically and globally.

Bakrid (Eid-ul-Adha)

Bakrid, also known as Eid-ul-Adha or the “Festival of Sacrifice,” is a major Islamic holiday commemorating the Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. According to tradition, God provided a ram to sacrifice instead, and the festival honors this devotion by having Muslims who can afford it sacrifice an animal (such as a goat or sheep), with the meat distributed among family, friends, and the needy. Celebrated on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar, it coincides with the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca.