Brookline Bancorp, Inc. Announces Extension of Election Deadline for Bancorp Rhode Island Shareholders

Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: BRKL) today announced that the deadline for shareholders of Bancorp Rhode Island, Inc. (NASDAQ: BARI) to elect the form of consideration that they wish to receive in Brookline's pending merger with Bancorp Rhode Island has been extended to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 2, 2011. As with the prior extensions of the election deadline, this extension is intended to reduce the potential time between the election deadline and the effective date of the merger. The merger is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2011, subject to receipt of the remaining regulatory approvals required to complete the transaction and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.