2024 in Sri Lanka
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The following lists notable events that will occur and take place during 2024 in Sri Lanka.
Incumbents[edit]
National[edit]
| President | Prime Minister | Speaker | Chief Justice | Opposition Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranil Wickremesinghe (Age 75) |
Dinesh Gunawardena (Age 75) |
Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena (Age 79) |
Jayantha Jayasuriya |
Sajith Premadasa (Age 57) |
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| United National Party (since 21 July 2022) |
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (since 22 July 2022) |
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (since 20 August 2020) |
Independent (since 29 April 2019) |
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (since 3 January 2020) |
Provincial[edit]
Ongoing events[edit]
Events[edit]
January[edit]
- 9 January – Red Sea crisis: The Sri Lanka Navy announces it will join a US-led operation in the Red Sea against attacks by Houthi rebels. President Ranil Wickremesinghe and other government officials defend this decision.[1][2]
- 13 January – 897 more suspects are arrested under Operation Yukthiya, during a 24-hour window which ended at 12:30 am.[3][4]
- 18 January – A lorry driver is shot and killed by a plainclothes police officer during a stop-and-search in Narammala.[5]
- 21 January – Jaffna District parliamentarian S. Shritharan is elected as the new leader of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi, the main constituent party of the Tamil National Alliance, defeating M. A. Sumanthiran and S. Yogeswaran and succeeding Mavai Senathirajah.[6]
- 22 January – Five people are shot dead near the Beliatta exit of the Southern Expressway, including leader of the Our Power of People's Party Saman Perera.[7][8]
- 23 January – Sri Lankan Test cricketer Dimuth Karunaratne is included in the ICC Test Team for the Year 2023.[9] Women's cricketer Chamari Athapaththu is included in and appointed as the captain of both the Women's ODI Team and T20I team for the Year 2023.[10][11]
- 24 January – The controversial Online Safety Bill is passed by the Parliament of Sri Lanka by a 108–62 vote. The bill is widely criticised by human rights groups, journalists and opposition politicians as a means of stifling freedom of speech in Sri Lanka.[12][13][14]
- 25 January – Sri Lankan women's cricketer Chamari Athapaththu wins the ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year award at the ICC Awards.[15]
- 28 January – The International Cricket Council lifts the provisional suspension on Sri Lanka imposed last year.[16]
February[edit]
- 2 February – Minister of Environment Keheliya Rambukwella and former Secretary to the Ministry of Health Janaka Chandragupta are arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department in Colombo and produced to Maligawatta courts following their connection to a scandal over the importation of substandard immunoglobulin injections. Around Rs. 130 million was believed to have been misappropriated. A judge ordered him to be remanded until 15 February.[17][18]
- 3 February – Following his arrest, Minister of Environment Keheliya Rabukwella resigns from his ministerial post following public pressure.[19]
- 23 February
- A Russian-owned cafe in Unawatuna schedules a controversial "white only" party to be held on 24 February, where a face control policy would be employed to restrict entry solely to white individuals and attendees. The Russian DJ hosting the party elaborates by saying the party was open only to "white people, no locals." Following public backlash, the event is cancelled. The DJ later says on Instagram that he left Sri Lanka with his family.[20][21]
- The Department of Immigration and Emigration issues a notice granting 14 days, starting from 23 February, for Russian and Ukrainian tourists living long-term in Sri Lanka to leave the country. Many of these tourists had been residing in Sri Lanka on periodic extensions of their tourist visas since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.[21][22] The notice is passed without prior approval from the Cabinet of Sri Lanka, thus prompting president Wickremesinghe to order an investigation into the announcement.[23][24]
- 24 February – Red Sea crisis: The Sri Lanka Navy confirms that one of its ships had completed its maiden patrol in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and was set to return to the island. The navy however did not clarify the dates, name of the ship or plans for further patrols.[25] It was later revealed to be SLNS Gajabahu and the Sri Lankan government confirmed that patrols would continue.[26][27]
March[edit]
- 6 March – 2024 Ottawa stabbing: A family of Sri Lankan Canadians are fatally stabbed in their residence in Barrhaven, a suburb of Ottawa, Canada. 6 are killed, including four children, the mother, and a family friend, while the father was injured.[28] The culprit was 19-year old Febrio De-Zoysa, a Sri Lankan Algonquin College student.[29][30] The attack was condemned by Mayor of Ottawa Mark Sutcliffe and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau.[31]
Predicted and scheduled events[edit]
- 21 August–10 September – Sri Lankan cricket team in England in 2024[32]
- Date unknown
Deaths[edit]
January[edit]
- 23 January – Saman Prasanna Perera, 48, politician, leader of the Our Power of People's Party[7][8]
- 25 January – Sanath Nishantha, 48, politician, minister for water supply (2020–2022, since 2022) and MP (since 2015)[34][35]
February[edit]
- 7 February – Thalangama Jayasinghe, 88, cartoonist[36]
- 15 February – Yasmine Gooneratne, 88, writer[37]
- 17 February – Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, 83, politician, MP (1977–1989, 1994–2020) and minister of Buddha Sasana (2017–2019)[38]
- 27 February – Ronnie de Mel, 98, economist and politician, minister of finance (1977–1988) and MP (1970–1989, 1994–2004)[39]
March[edit]
- 8 March – Ramya Wanigasekara, 73, Sri Lankan actress, singer, journalist and radio news anchor.[40]
References[edit]
- ^ MALLAWARACHI, BHARATHA. "Sri Lanka to join US-led naval operations against Houthi rebels in Red Sea". ABC News. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ Farzan, Zulfick. "Ranil clarifies Sri Lanka's Red Sea Deployment". english.newsfirst.lk. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ "897 netted in 24 hours under Operation Yukthiya". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 13 January 2024. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
- ^ "Sri Lankan soldiers and police conduct raids in Jaffna as part of 'Operation Yukthiya' | Tamil Guardian". www.tamilguardian.com. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
- ^ "Lorry Driver Killed in Narammala After Alleged Accidental Discharge of Police firearm". 19 January 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "S. Shritharan elected new ITAK leader". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Five people shot dead near Beliatta Exit of Southern Expressway". 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Five including party leader Saman Perera mowed down by two gunmen". 22 January 2024.
- ^ "WTC23 champions Australia lead the way in ICC Men's Test Team of the Year 2023". 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ "Australians dominate ICC Women's ODI Team of the Year for 2023". 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ "World Cup stars dominate ICC Women's T20I Team of the Year for 2023". 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Mallawarachi, Bharatha (23 January 2024). "Sri Lankan lawmakers debate controversial internet safety bill amid protests by rights groups". Associated Press. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ Jayasinghe, Uditha (24 January 2024). "Sri Lanka passes new law to regulate online content". Reuters. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ Mogul, Rhea (25 January 2024). "Sri Lanka passes controversial bill to regulate online content". CNN. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ "ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year announced". 25 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ "ICC Board lifts suspension on Sri Lanka Cricket". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ Perera, Melani Manel (3 February 2024). "Minister remanded in Colombo over Immunoglobulin scandal". Asian News. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
- ^ "Ex-Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella arrested". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Sri Lankan Cabinet minister resigns after being arrested in a counterfeit drugs scandal". Associated Press. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- ^ "Controversial 'white only' party cancelled amid public outcry". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
- ^ a b "Russian, Ukrainian tourists told to leave country in 14 days". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
- ^ AFP (25 February 2024). "Sri Lanka Scraps Long-Term Visa for Russians, Ukrainians". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ "President orders probe into notification requiring Russian, Ukraine tourists to leave within 14 days". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ "Russia & Ukraine SL Visa issue : President orders inquiry". NewsWire. 25 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ "Red Sea crisis: Navy OPV heads home after maiden patrol". The Morning. 24 February 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
- ^ "SLNS Gajabahu returns from Red Sea". Ceylon Today. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ "Red Sea crisis: SLN prepped to continue patrols". The Morning. 3 March 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ Warren, Ken; Glass, Marlo; Crawford, Blair (7 March 2024). "Ottawa's worst mass killing shocks and devastates Barrhaven, and the city". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ Gillies, Rob (7 March 2024). "6 dead after mass stabbing at Ottawa home, student who lived with family arrested". Associated Press. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ Gable, Blair (7 March 2024). "Six Sri Lankans knifed to death in Canadian capital in rare case of mass murder". Reuters. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ Chisholm, Johanna; Yousif, Nadine (7 March 2024). "Sri Lankan family dead in Canada 'mass killing'". BBC. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ "England confirm men's and women's international fixtures for 2024". ESPNcricinfo. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
- ^ "Ranil to contest Presidential election, hints at poll early next year - Top Story | Daily Mirror". Dailymirror. Wijeya Newspapers. 8 April 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
- ^ "State Minister Sanath Nishantha killed in accident".
- ^ "Sanath Nishantha dies in fatal accident".
- ^ කෘතහස්ත චිත්ර ශිල්පී තලංගම ජයසිංහ අභාවප්රාප්ත වෙයි
- ^ ‘And gladly would she learn, and gladly teach’
- ^ Former Minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera passes away
- ^ Fmr Finance Minister Ronnie de Mel passes away
- ^ "Veteran Journalist Ramya Vanigasekera passes away". Divaina (in Sinhala). 8 March 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
