Chief Government Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef has stated that the recent changes introduced by Bank of Maldives (BML) to Maldivian Rufiyaa card transactions on overseas e-commerce and online retail sites were made to prioritise the availability of the bank's dollar reserves for essential public needs.
He made the remarks at today's press briefing in the 'Presser with the Spox' series.
The Spokesperson stated that BML plays a key role in securing the dollars required for essential imports, including food, medicine and fuel, as well as to support students studying abroad. He noted that the measures were introduced to maximise the availability of dollars for essential requirements and to curb abusive card transactions, adding that no further action had been taken.
He added that BML has introduced daily limits for dollar transactions through Rufiyaa accounts on certain international e-commerce platforms, and has designated the bank's official working hours as the window during which Telegraphic Transfer (TT) requests for dollars must be submitted.
The Spokesperson clarified that the changes introduced by BML are unrelated to the USD 524 million sukuk repayment made by the Government on 2 April 2026, or the USD 400 million currency swap settled with India on 23 April.
He also shared expenditure details relating to five official overseas visits undertaken by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu in 2025, including visits to Malaysia, Singapore and Qatar, as well as two to the United Kingdom. He provided statistics on Right to Information (RTI) requests received by the President's Office in 2025 and so far in 2026, along with the number addressed to date.
The briefing concluded with the Spokesperson taking further questions from the press.
