Dhaka, Nov. 22 -- The government has issued an alert over a possible cyber attack, prompting the banks to strengthen surveillance at automated teller machine (ATM) booths.

Some banks have shut ATM operations fearing cyber attack after receiving a letter from the Financial Institutions Division last Thursday about the imminent threat.

The letter stated that North Korean group of hackers called the "Beagle Boyz", which was involved in the 2016 cyber heist of the Bangladesh Bank's foreign currency reserves, may try to withdraw money from ATMs and hack Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) network used by banks to transfer funds among themselves.

State-owned Rupali Bank suspended ATM operations from 11:00 pm o...