The government on Wednesday imposed a bar on foreign travels of all officers and employees of state-owned organisations under its operational and development budget amid dwindling foreign exchange reserves and the current global context. The bar on foreign tours will apply to all government officials, working at different ministries, divisions, directorates, departments, offices, public sector corporations, state-owned, autonomous and semi-autonomous companies until further notice, the Finance Division said in a notification. However, taking permission from the government, the officials will be able to go abroad for education, training and workshop if expenses are covered by development partners and other countries, it added. Earlier, they were previously barred from travelling abroad due to the ongoing global crisis and post-Covid economic recovery. Read more: $4.5 billion loan: IMF reaches preliminary agreement with Bangladesh In May, the finance ministry, in an order, asked all government, semi-government, and autonomous organisations, together with government banks and financial institutions, to restrict their employees' foreign tours. Read more: BB halts foreign trips of its officials, employees  

Criticising journalists for a report on government officials’ proposed foreign tour to learn how to cook ‘khichuri’ under a mid-day meal peorgramme for primary students, State Minister of Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossain on Wednesday this is not an issue to raise a hue and cry.