The Government of Sri Lanka and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a loan agreement of USD 90 million for phase 5 of the Second Integrated Road Investment Program (iROAD 2). According to a statement from the Ministry of Finance, the loan agreement has been signed after the government successfully concluded discussions with the ADB. The objective of this program is to enhance road transport efficiency by improving connectivity between selected rural communities and key socio-economic centres, while also strengthening the institutional capacity of national road agencies. According to the ADB, the loan will support the upgrading of approximately…
The Sri Lankan Report
The Chairman of the Kuchchaveli Pradeshiya Sabha, Ainiya Pillai Mubarak (50), and his private driver, M. M. Irshad (34), have been arrested by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 500,000 to issue a land permit. The arrests were made in the Iqbal Nagar area in Kuchchaveli following a complaint lodged by a woman resident of Mullaitivu. According to the Bribery Commission, the Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman had earlier accepted Rs. 160,000 from the complainant for a permit covering 20 perches of land and later demanded an additional Rs.…
A fire has reportedly erupted in a transformer located in Maligawatta in Colombo today. According to reports, two fire trucks have been dispatched to the scene to bring the blaze under control. Watch : https://www.facebook.com/reel/1354989312827495 (Newswire) The post Fire breaks out in a transformer at Maligawatta appeared first on Newswire.
Sri Lanka’s 2024 Population and Housing Census reveals that females continue to make up the majority of the country’s population, a trend first observed in 2001. Compared to the 2012 Census, the male population percentage has declined in both the Urban and Rural sectors, while a slight increase is recorded in the Estate sector. The Urban sector now reports the highest proportion of females. Historically, males accounted for a larger share of the population, with the 1981 Census recording 51 per cent males. However, by 2001, women represented 50.2 per cent of the population in the 18 districts where enumeration…
A special discussion was held in Parliament today (31), chaired by Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne and with the participation of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) (Attorney) Priyantha Weerasooriya, and opposition Parliamentarians, during which the opposition MPs requested the Speaker to take necessary steps to provide security to them. According to a Parliament statement, a group of party leaders representing the opposition, including Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, and several Members of Parliament, participated. In response, Speaker mentioned that all the requests for security made by MPs up to now have been forwarded to the IGP. He also stated that although a…
Two persons have been injured in a shooting reported in the Gonagalakanda area in Delgoda, Kalawana, today. According to the Police, the injured persons have been admitted to the Ratnapura Hospital following the shooting. Preliminary investigations have found that the shooting had occurred over a personal dispute. The Kalawana Police is conducting further investigations. (Newswire) The post 02 individuals injured in Kalawana shooting appeared first on Newswire.
The Sri Lankan Rupee has appreciated slightly against the US Dollar today (31), compared to Thursday. According to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the buying rate of the US Dollar has reduced from Rs. 300.69 to Rs. 300.61. Meanwhile, the selling rate of the Sri Lankan Rupee has also dropped from Rs. 308.20 to Rs. 308.10. The Sri Lankan Rupee has also appreciated against a basket of foreign currencies, while it has depreciated against Gulf currencies. (Newswire) The post Today’s CBSL official exchange rates appeared first on Newswire.
The High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera, presented his Letter of Credence to His Majesty King Charles III at a ceremonial event held at Buckingham Palace this week (28). High Commissioner Senadheera, accompanied by his spouse and diplomatic officers, was escorted by Assistant Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, Eleanor Mackewn, to the Palace in the traditional horse-drawn carriages of the Royal Mews, in keeping with the distinguished protocol accorded to new Heads of Mission. During his audience with His Majesty the King, High Commissioner Senadheera conveyed the warmest felicitations of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, alongside…
Former Minister of Finance, MP Ravi Karunanayake, claims the government is preparing to purchase 1,775 new double-cab vehicles, bypassing the standard international tender process. Addressing a media briefing in Colombo, MP Ravi Karunanayake alleged that a previous proposal from the government to bring in 2,000 double cabs for Members of Parliament, which was shelved, has now resurfaced. “There was a proposal from the government to bring in 2,000 double cabs for Members of Parliament. At that time, I said MPs don’t need vehicles. But if you want to give these vehicles to someone else and claim they’re for MPs, don’t…
Sri Lanka Police have arrested 971 individuals during nationwide raids conducted yesterday (30) as part of drug eradication measures. According to the Police, 22 suspects against whom detention orders have been obtained were also arrested during this period. Ten (10) individuals taken into custody have been sent to rehabilitation centres. The Police have also seized a total of 735 grams of heroin, 2.422 kilos of ICE, 603 grams of cannabis, 01 gram of kush, and 27 grams of hashish. The arrests and narcotics seizures were done during the 987 raids conducted islandwide. (Newswire) The post 971 individuals arrested during islandwide…
Former chairman of the Sri Lanka State Trading Corporation (STC), Hussein Ahamed Bhaila, has been arrested by the Bribery Commission for allegedly causing a loss of Rs. 99,679,799.70 to the government in 2015. According to the Bribery Commission, he is accused of having imported 50 temporary warehouses without any need during his tenure, causing a loss to the government and a gain equivalent to that amount to external parties. Ahmed Bahila was arrested by the Bribery Commission at around 8.30 am today (31) and is scheduled to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. Bhaila, who served as Chairman…
Photo courtesy of Article 19 Over the past two years, Sri Lanka’s legislative landscape has become a testing ground for the future of free expression. Freedom of expression has always been a fragile promise in Sri Lanka’s democracy, a right often celebrated in principle and constrained in practice. Yet in recent times this fragility has deepened into what can only be described as a structural transformation of speech. A new generation of laws and legislative proposals, introduced in the language of safety, order and integrity, are reshaping how citizens may speak, publish or even think aloud. The report “Challenging the…
Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Safety, and Cooperative Development, Wasantha Samarasinghe, yesterday undertook an inspection tour of the Sri Lanka Thriposha Company in Ja-Ela. Following the site visit, Chairman Amal Attanayake and the Board of Directors briefed Minister Sanarasinghe on the current status of the company and its future goals. Previously slated for closure under the former government, Sri Lanka Thriposha Limited was re-established under the Ministry of Health after the new government came to power. A recent gazette notification, issued following a cabinet reshuffle, has now placed the company under the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Safety, and Cooperative…
A high-level delegation from the Parliament of Sri Lanka, led by Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne, currently on an official visit to the United Kingdom, has engaged in meetings focused on health and culture. The Sri Lankan delegation met the Minister for Health Innovation and Safety at the Department of Health and Social Care, Zubir Ahmed. According to the UK High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick, who is accompanying the ministerial delegation, a discussion was held between both parties on collaboration in the health sector. Furthermore, the Sri Lankan delegation visited the UK’s National Theatre for a backstage tour. British High…
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Chief Security Officer, Neville Wanniarachchi, who was arrested in connection with the accumulation of illicit assets, has been granted bail. The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today released him on a cash bail of Rs. 50,000 and three sureties of Rs. 1 million each. The court also imposed an overseas travel ban on Neville Wanniarachchi and issued an order to call the case on January 16. Neville Wanniarachchi was arrested on 02nd October by the Bribery Commission in connection with investigations into the alleged accumulation of illicit assets and properties worth Rs. 28 million. (Newswire) The post…
The Sri Lankan Rupee remains steady against the US Dollar at commercial banks in Sri Lanka today (31), compared to Thursday. At Seylan Bank, the buying rate of the US Dollar remains unchanged at Rs. 301.15, while the selling rate has reduced from Rs. 306.65 to Rs. 306.40. According to NDB Bank, the buying and selling rates of the US Dollar are unchanged at Rs. 301.25 and Rs. 307.75, respectively. People’s Bank reports that the buying rate of the US Dollar remains unchanged at Rs. 301, while the selling rate is also unchanged at Rs. 307.63. At Commercial Bank, the…
Major supermarket chains in Sri Lanka will begin charging customers for single-use plastic shopping bags starting 1 November 2025, in line with the government’s efforts to reduce plastic waste. According to Gazette No. 2456/41 issued on 1 October 2025, supermarkets are required to impose a small fee for “sili-sili” bags provided at checkout counters. The new charges will be Rs. 3 for a medium-sized handle bag and Rs. 5 for a large handle bag. Leading retailers, including Keells, Cargills Food City, Laugfs Super, SPAR, and Glomark, have jointly announced the measure, encouraging shoppers to bring their own reusable bags. “The…
Sri Lanka Army athletes who displayed exceptional performances at the 4th South Asian Senior Athletics Championship 2025 were felicitated at an event held yesterday. The Army athletes were commended by the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo, at the event held at the Army Headquarters. The Sri Lanka Army athletes secured an impressive tally of 12 gold, 8 silver and 7 bronze medals at the South Asian Senior Athletics Championship 2025 held in India. At the felicitation ceremony, the Army Chief personally appreciated the athletes’ dedication and achievements. He also presented cash incentives to encourage their…
Sri Lanka Customs on Thursday (30) exceeded the Rs. 2 trillion mark in tax revenue collected for the year. Issuing a statement, the Director General of Customs, Seewali Arukgoda, said the department is on track to reach its 2025 revenue target of Rs. 2.115 trillion. This achievement marks a record-breaking year for Sri Lanka Customs, setting the highest annual revenue ever collected by a government tax department. Of the total revenue, Rs. 630 billion was generated from motor vehicle imports alone. Based on current projections, Sri Lanka Customs expects to exceed the annual revenue target by approximately Rs. 300 billion…
The Second Round of political consultations between Sri Lanka and the Netherlands took place in The Hague, on Wednesday (29), during which both countries reaffirmed their commitment to the bilateral relationship and reviewed the full spectrum of the ongoing cooperation. The Dutch delegation was led by the Director of the Asia and Oceania Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Dominique Kuhling, while the Sri Lankan delegation was led by the Director-General of the Europe & North America Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sugeeshwara Gunaratna. According to the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry, the meeting was…