BEIRUT, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of Lebanese protested on Thursday near banks in Sidon in southern Lebanon to complain about restrictions preventing them from withdrawing their deposits, the National News Agency reported.
Protesters asked banks to release the money of small depositors who stand in lines daily to withdraw limited amount of U.S. dollars.
Meanwhile, protesters also gathered near money exchange companies forcing them to shut down or adopt the regular exchange rate of 1,507 Lebanese pounds per U.S. dollar.
Lebanon has been going through a shortage in U.S. dollar caused by economic slowdown, the drop in cash injections from Lebanese abroad and transfer by big depositors to foreign countries.
This has prompted banks to impose unofficial capital control on all depositors with people standing in lines for hours to be able to withdraw up to 200 dollars weekly from their banks accounts.
Also, the shortage in U.S. dollar created a big demand on the currency which increased its price in the black market to 2,600 Lebanese pounds per one dollar.
