<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001193125-12-481521.txt : 20121127
<SEC-HEADER>0001193125-12-481521.hdr.sgml : 20121127
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20121127101459
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001193125-12-481521
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	DEFA14A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20121127
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20121127
EFFECTIVENESS DATE:		20121127

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			JOHN HANCOCK BANK & THRIFT OPPORTUNITY FUND
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000925683
		IRS NUMBER:				043241844
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MA

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		DEFA14A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	811-08568
		FILM NUMBER:		121225652

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS
		STREET 2:		601 CONGRESS STREET
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02210
		BUSINESS PHONE:		617-663-3000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS
		STREET 2:		601 CONGRESS STREET
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02210

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	HANCOCK JOHN BANK & THRIFT OPPORTUNITY FUND
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19940728

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	HANCOCK JOHN REGIONAL BANK & THRIFT FUND
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19940620
</SEC-HEADER>
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<TYPE>DEFA14A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>d445123ddefa14a.htm
<DESCRIPTION>JOHN HANCOCK BANK & THRIFT OPPORTUNITY FUND
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<TITLE>&lt;![CDATA[John Hancock Bank &amp; Thrift Opportunity Fund]]&gt;</TITLE>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B>Proxy Voting </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Proxy Voting for John Hancock Shareholders: </FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:6px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="text-indent:2.00em"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">The following funds are currently conducting a proxy vote.</FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" BGCOLOR="#b2b2b2" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-TOP:1px solid #000000; BORDER-RIGHT:1px solid #000000; padding-right:8px" BGCOLOR="#b2b2b2"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#ffffff"></FONT><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">
<B><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#ffffff">Related&nbsp;Resources</FONT></B></FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-RIGHT:1px solid #000000" BGCOLOR="#b2b2b2">&nbsp;</TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Closed-end funds</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" BGCOLOR="#b2b2b2" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-RIGHT:1px solid #000000; padding-right:8px" BGCOLOR="#b2b2b2"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#ffffff"></FONT><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#ffffff">Download&nbsp;president&#146;s letter, notice of meeting and proxy statement</FONT></B></FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-RIGHT:1px solid #000000" BGCOLOR="#b2b2b2">&nbsp;</TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">John Hancock Bank and Thrift Opportunity Fund</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" BGCOLOR="#b2b2b2" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-RIGHT:1px solid #000000; padding-right:8px" BGCOLOR="#b2b2b2"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#ffffff">John Hancock Bank and Thrift Opportunity Fund (217KB PDF)</FONT></TD></TR>
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<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-RIGHT:1px solid #000000" BGCOLOR="#b2b2b2">&nbsp;</TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-left:2.00em"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Shareholders of record as of the close of business on November&nbsp;1, 2012 of John Hancock Bank and Thrift Opportunity Fund are cordially invited to
attend the special meeting of shareholders on Friday, January&nbsp;18, 2013, at 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, to be held at 601 Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210. Click here for directions.</FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" BGCOLOR="#b2b2b2" STYLE="BORDER-LEFT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-BOTTOM:1px solid #000000"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-RIGHT:1px solid #000000; BORDER-BOTTOM:1px solid #000000; padding-right:8px" BGCOLOR="#b2b2b2"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#ffffff"></FONT><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#ffffff">Vote your proxy</FONT></B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#ffffff">Closed-End Funds</FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#ffffff">Please refer to your proxy card(s) for internet voting web site address. Please call 1-866-859- 8682 If you have any questions.</FONT></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#ffffff"></FONT><FONT STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2"><B><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#ffffff">Get fund information</FONT></B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><FONT
STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman" SIZE="2" COLOR="#ffffff">John Hancock Bank and Thrift , Opportunity Fund</FONT></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:1px"><FONT SIZE="1">&nbsp;</FONT></P></TD></TR>
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