Business

Can we stop university ragging?

Published

6 months ago

2025/07/14

Charith Dishan: His family members and some undergraduates have alleged that Dilshan took his life due to severe ragging at the Sabaragamuwa University.

Following the tragic demise of a Sabaragamuwa University undergraduate, more than fifty articles have appeared in the media expressing views on various aspects of the barbaric tradition of ragging in Sri Lankan universities. However, this discussion is taken into an unprecedented height by the landmark decision by the Supreme Court (SC/FR/216/2020 on 2025-Jul-09) pertaining to a grievous act of ragging that took place in 2020, twenty-two years after ragging was made illegal by the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act No. 20 of 1998.

One needs not be a constitutional scholar to understand the responsibilities of the three branches of the government; the Supreme Court has fulfilled the responsibility of the judiciary. Now, the other two branches will have to step up. Anyone reading the 48-page judgement or the recent opinion pieces referred to earlier, will clearly see that the core issue is the failure to implement the 1998 law. Those responsible for the failure, as listed in the judgement, include everyone in the University Grants Commission’s payroll, the Head of Police, and the Attorney General. Anything new here?

No, there is no mystery about not being able to stop ragging, it is another clear and loud statement about our broken system: complete disregard for law and order for decades. Generations of elected officials, bureaucrats, and most public using their services broke the law with impunity, while others abated it or put up with it for survival, leading to the current socioeconomic bankruptcy of the country. Let us have no doubt, what is happening in universities and other institutions is not any different from what happened in the country since independence: callous disregard for law and order with complete impunity. This national habit of normalisation of criminal behaviour must be stopped, universities are no exception.

The supreme Court has read the riot act, but that is of limited utility. This is where the legislative and executive branches need to act. If we are to eradicate this menace, there must be a zero-tolerance policy, and the penalties must be swift, substantial, and well publicised to be a deterrent. A slap of the wrist as often happens, or negotiated settlements between the student union and academics sympathetic or connected to the student union are not any worse than ignoring the wrongdoing. The current law must be amended to include a mandatory, minimum one-year suspension for any violation. That is in addition to any criminal and civil penalties.

There will be those who cry foul; such severe punishments will impact on the whole life of a student, they may say. There are several responses to that misguided reasoning. Do we want to eliminate ragging or maintain it in a different form or level? What about the victims – aren’t their lives permanently affected? Other important questions are, was the violation an unintended result of performing a vital function, or was it the result of a provocation, loss of property, dignity, or some other harm to the perpetrator? All such questions can be addressed with a clear negative response, as ragging is a deliberate act that yields no constructive results. Ragging is a well-organised, premeditated activity. The element of planning and prior intent is considered an aggravating factor, meaning it increases the severity of the crime and harsher penalties can be justified.

It must be made compulsory for university students to read and understand the Prohibition of Ragging Act in its entirety. After assessing their comprehension of the law, they should be made to give their consent to abide by such laws by signing a legally binding document, in which the minimum one-year suspension is clearly spelled out, at the beginning of each academic year as a constant reminder of the severity of the consequences. A copy must be sent to their parents or guardians, so that they can do their part in bringing up responsible citizens. This practice must be extended to other affected institutions as well.

The Supreme Court judgement implicated the university and law enforcement communities for failing to implement the law. While the court did not give reasons, the fifty plus writers pointed out the reasons why the university community did or could not perform their duty. With my apologies to those few caring souls who had done their best and were treated as outcasts by their peers, a few of those reasons are worth repeating here.

Most academics have been subjected to mental conditioning of ragging during their own student days, and as a result they have developed sympathy and apathy towards ragging. According to one report, one vice chancellor has asked the perpetrators to limit ragging to two hours, when caught in the act! Is that the right mentality? Another issue is the politicisation of the academic and administrative appointments, which manifests in their perceptions of their roles, their interactions with the university system, and their engagement with social justice issues. Their loyalty is to their political handlers, and they are not answerable to the community.

Politicisation goes into ragging itself. This writer was there to witness how JVP systemised ragging into the sophisticated system found today, including dress codes, cards and so forth, as a recruiting and fundraising machine. It is not the intention to hold the present NPP responsible for past actions as they have clearly changed their ways, but to appeal to their desire and the potential for bringing forth change at grassroots level to do some good. The public, on the other hand, must force the political parties to make it a policy issue to put a stop to the ruinous practice of ragging. They should know that its effects are not limited to the minority that enters the universities, but they permeate through the economy and the culture at large.

The argument can continue, but it is too much for the university community to handle all three aspects of implementation of law, investigation, and prosecution of incidents, and delivering penalties as the first option. Entire university community, everyone in the UGC pay roll for that matter, must be held responsible for the enforcement of the law. They must be trained and held accountable as part of their job description. Unfortunately, due to many decades of conditioning, the university community has become insensitive to this issue. Changing the attitude of the entire university community, from vice chancellors to grounds keepers, and getting all of them involved must be given priority. The student unions, trade unions, and alumni associations can play a leading role in this endeavour.

As for investigation, apprehension, and prosecution of offenders, a separate independent entity must be created. This entity, preferably under the purview of the Attorney General, may be comprised of resources drawn from existing judiciary functions, but it must be a dedicated one so that cases can be concluded swiftly for maximum impact, preferably within weeks, not months. This could be limited to the initial determination of the violation, and the imposition of the compulsory one-year suspension if found guilty.

The criminal and civil cases arising from such offences can continue separately. This may sound like an expensive preposition, but if implemented properly, its services will not be needed after three to four years. We are dealing with the best and brightest of the nation, and they will learn fast, especially when they risk thirteen years of effort, parents’ investments and hopes, and the entire future.

The general sentiment expressed by most writers is that ragging cannot be stopped. As it is so deeply entrenched, only compromises can be made, some of them reasoned. This writer disagrees; if there is a collective will, there are ways for a civilised society to stop barbarism. The Prime Minister has appointed a task force to investigate it, but its scope is a much broader one: review and overhaul the education system.

There is no doubt that the entire education system must be modernised to meet the needs of the 21st century, but this ruinous practice must be stopped immediately as it is a major contributor to the degradation of society. Let us not forget that ragging is the plague that mentally cripple the generation destined to lead the country into prosperity. Without irradicating it, we will be wasting our sparce resources to further degrade our already dysfunctional society, not to mention the economy, and continue to feed an utterly unnecessary cyclical process.

Now that the country has committed to breaking away from the past, this is an ideal opportunity to grab the proverbial bull by the horns and do away with it. The task force appointed by the Prime Minister can facilitate it. This is a problem that can be easily solved, since it is of limited scope compared to irradicating corruption, even though both have common origins. We are focusing on the problem of the nation’s young adults who are fed, sheltered, and supported by the hardworking citizenry to the tune of half a million rupees per student in 2020 money, not to mention the blood, sweat, and heartache of parents.

The question here is whether society should give in to the juvenile whims of a small minority of young adults, whose only qualification thus far is box checking to get through an archaic examination system, or show them the right path. Young minds can be trained; their attitudes can be adjusted. Enlighten them that they are dependent on society, answerable to it, and that they are subjected to the country’s laws. Let them know in no uncertain terms that the times are changing and this behaviour is not acceptable. This goes for those who aid and abate or ignore this behaviour, the academics, administrators, law makers, enforcers, parents, and most importantly the student unions and their behind-the-scenes handlers.

For an administration intent on establishing a just society, stopping a minority that is misguided by a baseless ‘ideology’ of ‘university subculture’ that gives an inviolable right to rag since we were ragged, is undoubtedly within their capabilities. The Prime Minister’s task force must recommend the following: strengthening the Prohibition of Ragging act to make all relevant parties accountable. Establish a dedicated prosecutorial body independent of the university system.

Empower university martials to turn all university employees into a cohesive movement against ragging. Ensure that university students understand the law and that they are not above it, and the repercussions of violations are severe. The systematic brainwashing of the first-year students, even before they enter the university, by politically motivated entities must be stopped. Above all, the executive branch of the government must make sure that the laws are implemented without exception and make everyone accountable with a zero-tolerance policy. Provided they have the political will, which they have demonstrated so far, this curse can be eliminated before their current term ends. At the same time, the public should give their full support to the administration as if they do not do so, their dream of a happy and prosperous society will be just that, a pipe dream.

by Geewananda Gunawardana, Ph.D. ✍️

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Business

Beyond the Fashion Value Chain: MAS Leads Global Biodiversity Restoration

Published

6 hours ago

2026/01/11

Thilina Walpola

Aerial Reforestation Project

Sri Lanka is one of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots, with nature deeply intertwined with community life. Reflecting this connection, across the island, small-scale conservation efforts have always thrived in pockets. For MAS Holdings, the urgency of the environmental crisis made it clear that scattered initiatives were not enough- it was time to bring them together into an impactful, long-term approach. Employees have also welcomed the chance to be part of projects that protect nature, finding meaning in contributing to something that benefits both their communities and the environment.

Recognising this, apparel-tech conglomerate MAS Holdings has made biodiversity restoration central to its sustainability roadmap, the MAS Plan for Change 2030. Building on its commitments for 2025, the company has pledged to reforest and restore biodiversity across an area 100 times larger than its global operational footprint.

For an organization that spans 15 countries- across North America, Europe, Asia and Africa, this amounts to more than 31,700 acres of land. According to Nemanthie Kooragamage, Director – Group Sustainable Business at MAS Holdings, achieving reforestation on such an ambitious scale demands bold and innovative approaches.

“Well-planned restoration can do far more than replace lost trees,” she explains. “It can reconnect fragmented landscapes, stabilise soils, improve freshwater quality, rebuild coastal and mangrove nurseries, and create wildlife corridors- benefits that safeguard nature and the long-term resilience of apparel supply chains and communities.”

Building a Scalable Goal

The roots of MAS’ biodiversity goal trace back to 2017, when it pledged to restore 250 acres of land, equivalent to its operational footprint at the time. By the end of the initiative, the company had doubled its target and restored 500 acres of land.

Even then, MAS recognised that planting trees alone was not enough. As it pursued this goal, it became clear that landscapes face different pressures, from invasive species to degraded soils, and therefore require tailored interventions. And so, MAS developed its six-model framework for restoration: Conservation, Reforestation, Invasive Removal, Afforestation, Analog Forests, and Forest Gardens.

This framework later underpinned the biodiversity target set under Plan for Change 2025, which scaled up the 2017 pledge to restore 100 times MAS’ operational footprint at the time, a total of 25,000 acres.

Applying the Six-Model Approach

Over the last five years, the six-model framework has been put into practice, with projects demonstrating how different contexts required different interventions.

Conservation was at the heart of the Panama In-Situ Turtle Conservation Project, launched in partnership with two corporates and the Wildlife and Ocean Resources Conservation Society. Protecting a three to ten-kilometre stretch of coastline, the project has safeguarded 272 nests and released over 17,000 hatchlings since October 2023, directly supporting the survival of endangered sea turtle species.

Reforestation included the restoration of 10 acres of mangroves in Trincomalee, where MAS achieved an 81% sapling survival rate. Meanwhile, the Ittapana Mangrove Forest Reforestation Project, undertaken with the University of Sri Jayawardenepura and local communities, planted 500 saplings with a 94% survival rate. Beyond ecological restoration, it enhanced local fisheries, improved water quality, and engaged students and residents, ensuring long-term community impact.

To restore large, inaccessible degraded terrains, MAS partnered with the Sri Lanka Air Force to disperse seed bombs. This aerial reforestation method restored 275 acres and achieved a 45% survival rate, demonstrating an efficient solution for landscapes that could not be rehabilitated through conventional means.

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) removal was another critical strand, with programmes carried out in national parks in partnership with the Department of Wildlife Conservation. At Horton Plains, MAS removed Ulex europaeus from 82% of the affected areas and restored 244 acres of sensitive ecosystem. At Udawalawe and Lunugamwehera, the manual removal of Lantana camara supported the regeneration of grasslands vital for elephants, leopards, and sloth bears.

“We tested different approaches in Sri Lanka, from coastal conservation to seed bombing and invasive species removal, and they proved effective in their own contexts. With the scale of our biodiversity goals and our global operational footprint, the next step was to take these learnings beyond Sri Lanka and apply them internationally,” said Uvini Athukorala, Manager – Environmental Sustainability.

Expanding Globally

As part of its Plan for Change 2025 biodiversity conservation efforts, MAS extended projects beyond Sri Lanka to countries where it also has manufacturing operations. This ensured that the company’s restoration work addressed the landscapes and communities directly connected to its business footprint.

In Central Java, Indonesia, the Blora Ngawi Biodiversity Restoration Project has restored over 12,601 acres since 2023. The initiative planted more than half a million trees and established a multi-stakeholder forest management model that combines forest protection, land rehabilitation, and habitat enrichment.

In Kenya, MAS launched its largest conservation project to date, protecting 8,275 acres within the Nairobi National Park, in partnership with The Wildlife Foundation. The project secured wildlife corridors critical for elephants, lions, and cheetahs, reduced human-wildlife conflict, and created conservation-linked livelihoods for more than 600 people, with women and youth playing a central role.

These global projects demonstrated that the lessons learned in Sri Lanka, experimenting with diverse approaches and working hand in hand with local partners, could be successfully scaled in other contexts, while directly benefiting the communities where MAS operates.

Lessons for the Future

As the Plan for Change 2025 concludes, MAS has restored 25,058 acres toward its biodiversity conservation goal. The experience highlights two key lessons. First, that restoration must be context-specific. From mangrove reforestation in Trincomalee to invasive species removal in Horton Plains, or aerial reforestation of degraded terrain, each ecosystem required a different model to deliver meaningful results. Second, that collaboration is essential. Partnerships with government agencies, non-profits, universities, and local communities in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Kenya ensured both technical expertise and local ownership, making projects sustainable beyond their initial interventions.

Business

People’s Bank’s Commitment to Rebuilding the MSME Sector through Government-Backed Financing

Published

6 hours ago

2026/01/11

Thilina Walpola

How is People’s Bank ready to support the rebuilding of the MSME sector in Sri Lanka, not only in the post-crisis context but in general?

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of the Sri Lankan economy, playing a vital role in employment generation, regional development, and income distribution. At People’s Bank, supporting MSMEs is a long-term strategic priority aligned with our mandate as the country’s premier state-owned commercial bank.

Our approach extends beyond post-crisis recovery to support the full MSME life cycle, from start-ups and micro entrepreneurs to growing and established businesses, through tailored financing, advisory support, and sector-specific solutions. With our island-wide branch network and strong understanding of local economies, People’s Bank is well positioned to serve entrepreneurs across urban, rural, and underserved communities.

What government-funded facilities are currently available through People’s Bank?

People’s Bank actively participates in several government-funded and concessionary loan schemes, offering lower interest rates compared to market rates, medium to long-term tenures, loan amounts based on project viability and eligibility criteria defined by sector, purpose, and enterprise size.

Table 1

Government funded loan products are made available at People’s Bank branches for the sectors in line with government policy directives in MSME sector, as shown in the Table 1.

Can you briefly summarize the MSME loan products offered by People’s Bank?

People’s Bank offers a wide range of bank-funded MSME loan products, including working capital loans to support day-to-day business operations, term loans for machinery, equipment, expansion, and modernization, trade finance facilities including import, export, and local trade support, overdrafts and revolving credit to manage cash flow fluctuations and sector-specific loans tailored for agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, construction, logistics, and services.

Loan amounts, interest rates, and tenures vary depending on the business profile, purpose of the loan, and credit evaluation, with repayment periods extending up to several years for long-term investments whereas the MSME definition introduced by Ministry of Industries for categorization of concerned businesses.

People’s Bank offers a range of bank-funded loan schemes in MSME sector as follows and the interest rates are varies from 7.0% p.a to 12.0% p.a.

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development (SMED) Scheme

The Business Power Loan Scheme

The Solar Power Generation Loan Scheme

The Green Power Loan

The People’s SPARK Loan Scheme

The NCGIL Loan Scheme

People’s Power Loan Scheme

Vanitha Saviya Loan Scheme

Aswenna Loan Scheme

Pledge Loan Scheme (Bank-Funded Variant)

How should customers approach People’s Bank to access these facilities?

Customers are encouraged to visit their nearest People’s Bank branch, which serves as the primary access point for MSME financing. Branch Managers and Credit Officers will assess customer needs, recommend suitable bank-funded or government-funded facilities, and provide guidance on eligibility and documentation, ensuring personalized support throughout the process.

This branch-based approach ensures transparency, sound advisory support, and efficient decision-making. People’s Bank remains committed to empowering Sri Lanka’s MSME sector as a long-term national responsibility, delivering inclusive and sustainable financial solutions through both its own resources and government-backed initiatives.

(This article is based on an interview with People’s Bank Deputy General Manager (SME, Development & Micro Finance), Wickrama Narayana)

Business

Shangri-La Group extends humanitarian support for Cyclone Ditwah relief efforts

Published

6 hours ago

2026/01/11

Thilina Walpola

Shangri-La Sri Lanka Director of Human Resources Madusha Pihilladeniya (L) and Shangri-La Hambantota General Manager Refhan Razeen (R) presenting the donation to Sri Lanka Red Cross Society Secretary General Dr. Mahesh Gunasekara.

In response to the humanitarian needs arising from Cyclone Ditwah, Shangri-La Group has extended financial assistance to support national relief efforts through the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, under the leadership of Secretary General Dr. Mahesh Gunasekara.

The contribution will be directed towards critical, life-sustaining interventions in some of the most affected communities across the country. According to the Sri Lanka Red Cross, medical services in 25 major hospitals have been severely disrupted by the cyclone. Part of the assistance will therefore support the deployment of mobile medical camps, ensuring timely and accessible healthcare for vulnerable populations.

Recognising the urgent need for safe drinking water in flood-affected areas, the initiative will also focus on restoring natural water sources, including wells and springs, helping communities regain access to clean and reliable water. In addition, a portion of the funds will be allocated to psychosocial support programmes for children residing in temporary camps, offering care, comfort, and emotional reassurance during a deeply unsettling time.

“At Shangri-La, our commitment goes beyond the walls of our hotels. In moments like these, it is about standing alongside communities with empathy, responsibility and care. We hope this support brings not only practical relief, but also comfort and reassurance to families – especially children – who are navigating an incredibly difficult time,” said Shangri-La Sri Lanka Director of Human Resources, Madusha Pihilladeniya. “Our hearts are with every community affected, and we remain united in the belief that compassion, when shared, can help restore hope.”

This initiative reflects Shangri-La’s ethos of Heartfelt Hospitality – a philosophy rooted in empathy, responsibility, and solidarity. It stands as a quiet yet powerful reminder that, beyond hospitality, Shangri-La remains committed to standing with communities when care is needed most and hopes this brings comfort, together with practical assistance to communities affected during this challenging time.