Dhaka, March 10 -- The Bangladesh Bank will not issue new currency notes for the approaching Eid-ul-Fitr, breaking away from a long-standing tradition.

The Bangladesh Bank said in a statement on Monday that the exchange of new notes among the public has been suspended.

The notification instructed banks to store deposited "fresh" notes in branches rather than exchanging them.

Earlier, the central bank said new notes would be available from Mar 19 ahead of Eid, with the notes bearing the picture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the signature of former governor Abdur Rouf Talukder.

The notes with a new design will be released in the market by the end of April or early May, without the image of the Bangabandhu.

On this, Banglades...