The corridors of power in Sri Lanka’s Parliament became a theater of intense debate on April 7, 2026, as lawmakers confronted the fallout of the National Development Bank (NDB) fraud scandal. What began as a Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) disclosure has now transformed into a scathing critique of the nation’s financial regulatory domain.

Opposition MP Ravi Karunanayake took to the floor to demand accountability, not just from the bank, but from the regulatory authorities themselves. Highlighting the alarming jump in reported losses – from an initial LKR 380 million on April 2nd to a massive LKR 13.2 billion by April 6th – Karunanayake questioned how such a systemic breach could occur undetected.

“I want to focus your attention on the operations… and its supervision process,” Karunanayake told the House. “I was more shocked about what we heard at the Public Finance Committee… as there was no one to take the responsibility for detecting this earlier”.

The MP emphasised that his intention was not to trigger a ‘run’ on the bank, but to ‘purify’ oversight mechanisms, which he suggested had failed in their primary duty of early detection.

The gravity of the situation was underscored by Minister Bimal Ratnayake, who confirmed that the President has been formally briefed on the fraud. The Minister assured Parliament that the administration would take all necessary actions to ensure ‘financial sector’s discipline’ in the wake of this fraud.

Regulatory authorities have already moved to assert authority, issuing a statement on April 5, 2026, to provide oversight and maintain liquidity stability. However, the ‘appropriate regulatory support’ mentioned came with heavy strings attached as follows:

Dividend Freeze: The bank was ordered to immediately suspend cash dividends scheduled for distribution in April 2026.

Operational Curbs: NDB has been directed to restrict discretionary spending and halt all branch expansions until further notice.

Forensic Mandate: Under regulatory and board pressure, NDB is appointing an independent forensic auditor to conduct an impartial review of its systems.

The LKR 13.2 billion fraud is estimated to impact NDB’s unaudited total asset base by 0.7%. While NDB Chairman Sriyan Cooray and CEO Kelum Edirisinghe were noted for their expertise by Ravi Karunanayake, the focus has shifted toward the systemic vulnerability of the sector. As the criminal investigation and internal inquiries proceed, the primary question remains: how did a fraud of this magnitude remain invisible to the regulators until it reached the breaking point?

With the Public Finance Committee now involved, the NDB incident is no longer just a corporate crisis – it is a test of the integrity of Sri Lanka’s entire financial supervisory framework.

By Sanath Nanayakkare

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce announces a planned and orderly leadership transition, underscoring its commitment to strong governance, leadership continuity, and long-term institutional stability.

Accordingly, Shiran Fernando has been appointed Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer, effective 8th May 2026, succeeding . Buwanekabahu Perera, who will conclude a three-year tenure at the helm of the Chamber.

Commenting on the transition, Krishan Balendra, the Chairperson of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce stated:

“This leadership transition reflects the Chamber’s long-standing belief that strong institutions are built through continuity, sound governance, and deliberate succession planning. Over the past three years, the Chamber has been further strengthened institutionally, allowing us to move forward with confidence. The Board is fully assured that this transition will ensure stability while positioning the Chamber to meet the evolving needs of our members and the broader economy.”

Supporting this transition, institutional stability is further reinforced by the continued leadership of Ms. Alikie Perera, who serves as Deputy Secretary General, Chief Operating Officer / Financial Controller and CEO of GS1 Lanka. With over three decades of service spanning multiple leadership cycles and governance eras, including service under 16 successive Chairpersons, she has been instrumental in sustaining the Chamber’s operational integrity and financial discipline. Notably, she has played a key role over two decades in steering the Chamber’s flagship platforms, including the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit (SLEIS) and the Best Corporate Citizens Awards [BCC Awards], both of which have become nationally and internationally recognised benchmarks. Her continued role provides assurance that institutional memory and organisational continuity remain firmly intact.

Dialog Finance PLC, Sri Lanka’s leading fintech innovator, announced the launch of its Virtual Debit Card, the first in Sri Lanka to enable customers to generate multiple virtual cards for different purposes within a single app. This cutting-edge, digital-first payment solution is designed to deliver smarter control, enhanced security, and effortless everyday transactions, making online payments safer, more flexible, and fully manageable through the Genie app.

Designed for today’s mobile-first lifestyle, the Virtual Debit Card is managed seamlessly within the Genie app, allowing customers to generate multiple virtual cards tailored for specific use cases such as subscriptions, individual merchants, or shared spending scenarios. Each card offers customizable spending limits, real-time transaction tracking, and the option to delete or deactivate it once its defined use is complete. By isolating transactions across different purposes, this approach significantly enhances online payment security while providing complete visibility and control.

Issued on the UnionPay International network, the Virtual Debit Card ensures wide global acceptance for online and in-store payments. It also paves the way for future enhancements, including Tap to Pay functionality on NFC-enabled smartphones, enabling fast, contactless in-store transactions scheduled to be activated soon as part of Dialog Finance’s ongoing product evolution.

Commenting on the launch, Nazeem Mohamed, CEO & Director of Dialog Finance PLC, said, “This launch strengthens our position as Sri Lanka’s leading fintech provider. By offering multiple virtual cards, and intuitive in-app controls, we are delivering a secure, flexible digital payment experience that perfectly aligns with modern customer needs.”

The Dialog Finance Virtual Debit Card is now available exclusively through the Genie mobile app, allowing customers to instantly generate, manage, and control their cards from a single interface. This milestone further solidifies Dialog Finance’s leadership in delivering customer-centric, innovation-led digital payment solutions in Sri Lanka.

Dialog Finance PLC, a subsidiary of Dialog Axiata PLC, is a licensed finance company regulated by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. The Company offers a range of digital-first financial solutions to individuals, businesses, and corporations, and is backed by a strong Fitch Rating of AA (lka), reflecting its financial stability, robust governance, and high creditworthiness.