Govt officials: Petition seeks HC directive on unnecessary foreign trips

A writ petition was filed with the High Court yesterday seeking its order on the government to stop unnecessary foreign trips of government officials -- "in the name of training, meeting, seminars" -- with taxpayers' money.

ASM Al Sonnet, from Barishal, submitted the petition to the HC, also requesting it to direct the authorities concerned of the government to hold judicial enquiry on the overseas travel of agriculture ministry officials in the name of horticulture exhibition in the Netherlands.

Petitioner's lawyer Syed Sayedul Haque Suman told The Daily Star that the hearing of the petition may be held within a few days.

Citing the petition, the lawyer said that around 100 officials of the ministry of agriculture have already visited -- "Floriade Expo 2022" -- an international horticulture exhibition held in Almere, Netherlands.

Some of those officials went to the exhibition with their wives or husbands, he said.

Some of them also travelled from the Netherlands to other Schengen countries in Europe despite travel restrictions.

The government has issued a circular banning foreign trips of its officials.

The circular, issued by the finance ministry on May 12, said the decision was taken in the context of post-Covid-19 economic recovery and ongoing global crisis, lawyer Suman said.

According to a report published on The Daily Star on April 28, "At least 100 agriculture ministry officials will participate in phases in a six-month international horticulture exhibition in the Netherlands, even though the government had asked to abandon all routine tours except those involving emergencies.

The fair, which kicked off on April 13, will continue til October 9.