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Sri Lanka’s book publishing industry faces crisis as 18% VAT sparks job losses and closures

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2 years ago

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By Rathindra Kuruwita

Thousands of jobs in Sri Lanka’s book publishing industry will be lost due to the imposition of VAT (18%) on books publishers claim.They claim that about 30 percent of bookshops have been closed due to the economic crisis.

There had been no taxes on books before 01 January 2024, Sri Lanka Book Pub lish ers Asso ciation (SLBPA), President Samantha Indeewara, said.The book publishing industry was in crisis even before the imposition of VAT, he added.

“The prices of all raw materials have increased. For example, the price of paper has risen by 300 percent in the past few years.”

“Books and stationery prices will increase by more than 20 percent. The income of parents has not risen. What will they do? Children’s education will suffer.”

Indeewara said Sri Lanka imported at least 90 percent of the inputs needed to produce a book. All of them were subjected to VAT and other import duties.”However, the final product was not subjected to VAT earlier.”

Indeewara said book sales had dropped in the 1990s, with the spread of electronic media. Book publishers started the Colombo International Book Fair to reverse the trend.

“But in recent years, book sales have dropped again because of the economic crisis.

SLBPA former President Vijitha Yapa said that when Ranil Wickremesinghe was Prime Minister in 2002, he proposed a tax on books. However, the government had withdrawn the proposals due to protests from the book publishers.

“In 2016, Wickremesinghe again attempted to impose a tax on books. When Wickremesinghe came to the Colombo International Book Fair that year, as the Chief Guest, we again urged him not to impose a tax. The proposal to impose taxes on books was again withdrawn,” he said.

Yapa mentioned that in September 2023, they had heard the government was planning to impose VAT on books. The book industry representatives met the President and inquired about the possible tax.

“The President said nothing was set in stone and that we would have an opportunity to discuss the matter. He told us that the IMF wanted him to impose a tax on books.”

Despite the assurances, the book industry didn’t get an opportunity to discuss the impending taxes with the government, he said. The industry representatives wrote to the President, and his chief of staff, Sagala Ratnayake, said he would inform the President.

“Later, we were asked to talk to the IMF. Then we wrote to the IMF. It has been two months; there has not been a reply from the IMF.”

Yapa said that from what he knows, no other South Asian nation has imposed VAT on books.

“Some publishers only print about 500 copies of a book,” he added. “Earlier, we used to print thousands of copies. Prices of books are now high because we print less. There are no economies of scale. Printing books is so expensive here that people actually print books abroad and bring them here. It’s cheaper for them to pay import taxes than to print in Sri Lanka. Thousands of jobs will be lost.”

Yapa went on to say that 30 percent of bookshops have closed down already, and more shops will go out of business soon.

“We don’t know how much the government is trying to make by taxing us. We don’t know, and they won’t tell us.”

President of the Ceylon Booksellers Importers And Exporters Association, Dinushi Abeywickrama, said the text books they import for students sitting for foreign exams have tripled in price.

“Families with a few kids are seriously affected by this. Parents can’t buy. Earlier, parents used to come and buy the entire set of text books for their kids. Now they buy these books on a staggered basis. Most parents try to see if they can get the text book photocopied,” she said.

The government is violating the Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials (also known as the Florence Agreement), she said.

Abeywickrama added this is a 1950 UNESCO treaty whereby states agree to not impose customs duties on certain educational, scientific, and cultural materials that are imported.

“We are a party to that agreement,” she said, adding that the President is a well-read person and that he has used the knowledge he has gained from reading to make a name for himself in the world.

“I, therefore, urge him not to deprive other people from learning and improving themselves by reading books,” she said.


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Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and Southern provinces and in Monaragala district

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2026/04/19

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Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 18 April 2026, valid for 19 April 2026

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern
and Southern provinces and in Monaragala district.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.


Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

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‘Agents of the devil’ seeking to block Easter probe, Cardinal warns

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2026/04/19

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Warning that “agents of the devil who wish to hide the truth behind a wall of political posturing” were attempting to obstruct investigations into the Easter Sunday terror attacks, the Catholic Church has called for intensified public support and prayer to ensure justice for victims.

In a message issued ahead of the seventh anniversary of the April 21, 2019 bombings, Colombo Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said there were ongoing efforts by various forces to derail credible inquiries into the coordinated attacks that claimed 278 lives and left nearly 500 injured.

The statement noted that many of those killed had been attending Easter Sunday Mass when suicide bombers struck churches, including St. Anthony’s Shrine, Kochchikade, St. Sebastian’s Church, Katuwapitiya, and Zion Church, Batticaloa, causing widespread devastation and long-term suffering among survivors.

Seven years on, the Caridnal said, critical questions remain unanswered, including who masterminded the attacks, their motives, and why places of worship were targeted on Christianity’s most sacred day.

Full text of Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith’s message: On 21st April 2026, the Church in Sri Lanka will be commemorating the 7th Anniversary of the Easter Sunday bomb blasts, which killed 278 of our fellow human beings and brethren in the faith in the most brutal fashion. Most of these people had come to our Churches for Easter Sunday Masses and prayer services. Many families were rendered destitute. Nearly 500 people were injured and some of them carry life long disabilities, suffering from the after effects of these blasts. St. Anthony’s Church Kochchikade and St. Sebastian’s Church Katuwapitiya of the Catholic community and the Zion Church in Batticaloa were, quasi totally destroyed. The economy of the country suffered immensely with untold problems affecting many families, ever since then. However much we try to console the families of these victims, it is something that we humans are unable to achieve as only the Lord can truly console them.

Besides, we still do not know who murdered these people and caused so much of suffering to many others, and why and for what purpose they chose our Churches on a day that was most sacred to us to organize these attacks. After repeated pleas by the Catholic Church, now at last, the incumbent government and the security establishment, seem to be holding a credible inquiry into this episode of mass murder in order to find out who was really behind it.

And there are many forces actively seeking to obstruct these inquiries and divert the direction of the inquiry in an aimless fashion in order to hide the truth behind these attacks. They are nothing but the agents of the devil who wish to hide the truth behind a wall of political posturing. We need to storm Heaven and ask the Lord to strengthen the hands of the investigators to find out what really happened and who was behind this mass murder as well as why it was done to innocent people who had nothing to do with politics.

Hence, I call upon all of you to kindly storm Heaven with your prayers calling upon the Lord to help us find out what really happened that most tragic day. And so, I am declaring Sunday, the 19th of April 2026, as a special day of prayer for this purpose. I shall be most grateful to every one of you, beloved brethren, if you could recite special prayers in all the parishes of the Archdiocese at Sunday Mass on that day and offer prayers at home too for the success of these investigations. The special prayer for truth and justice for the victims of the bomb attacks, already approved by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, could also be recited. I call upon all our Catholic devotees to join us in this effort.

Let us stand together firmly behind the efforts to find out the truth. Let us not be deceived by attempts of different people to hide the truth or divert attention in all kinds of directions in order to confuse the public.

May the Blessed Mother, our Lady of Lanka, intercede for us in this most important matter.

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Nation to mark Easter Sunday attacks with countrywide observances, march for justice

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2026/04/19

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A series of solemn religious observances and commemorative events will be held on Tuesday, April 21, to mark the seventh anniversary of the Easter Sunday terror attacks, with ceremonies planned across the island and a public march for justice in Negombo.

The programme will begin with a coordinated observance in churches nationwide. At 8:45 a.m., funeral bells will toll, followed by a two-minute silence in memory of the victims. At 8:47 a.m., bells will toll again as the faithful light candles or oil lamps, with the morning observance concluding in a special prayer service at 8:50 a.m.

Major ceremonies are to be held at key locations affected by the 2019 attacks.

At St. Anthony’s Shrine, Kochchikade, the commemoration will be led by Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith and Bishop Anton Ranjith. Proceedings will commence at 8:15 a.m. with the arrival of ambassadors and dignitaries. Following the national moment of silence and prayer at 8:45 a.m., invitees will participate in a candle-lighting ceremony at 8:47 a.m. The programme from 9:10 a.m. will include interfaith reflections and addresses by the Apostolic Nuncio, a representative of the United Nations, and Cardinal Ranjith.

At St. Sebastian’s Church, Katuwapitiya, religious observances will be conducted under the guidance of Bishop Maxwell Silva and Bishop J. D. Anthony. Holy Mass is scheduled for 7:30 a.m., followed by the tolling of bells, a two-minute silence, and the lighting of candles at the memorial monument at 8:45 a.m.

The day’s commemorations will culminate in a Prayer March for Justice in Negombo. The march is set to begin at 4:00 p.m. from the Maris Stella grounds, with clergy and lay participants proceeding to St. Sebastian’s Church, where bishops and priests will conduct a Benediction service.The events are expected to draw large numbers of clergy, devotees, diplomats and members of the public, as the nation continues to remember the victims and call for truth and accountability.

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