News
Lawyer Hizbulla, Madrasa principal remanded

By A. J. A. Abeynayake
Lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah, accused of aiding and abetting the Easter Sunday bombers and engaging in activities deemed detrimental to the religious harmony, and Principal of Al-Zuhriya Arabic College in Puttalam, Mohommad Shakeel were remanded till 03 March by Fort Magistrate, Priyantha Liyanage.
Hizbullah was a board member of Shakeel’s school.Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris told the court that the suspects had lured 56 young boys from poor families by promising to make them moulavis; 26 of the children were from Colombo and its suburbs. The boys had been trained to become extremists in the mould of NTJ leader Zahran Hashim, the court was told.
Magistrate Liyanage remanded the two, based on the DSG’s statement.The Deputy Solicitor General told the court that the real intentions of the suspects had been revealed by the evidence given by the boys who studied at the madrasa. The boys were between the ages of five and 14. Sarah Jasmin, who fled the country after the attack, had also been involved in teaching extremism for the students, he said.Deputy Solicitor General told the court that a number of individuals who took part in the Easter Sunday attacks, including Zahran Hashim and his brother Rilwan had visited the school, brainwashed the boys and trained them as militants.The suicide bomber who blew himself up at Cinnamon Grand was a Treasurer of Save the Pearls Organization headed by Hizbullah. The suicide bomber had spent a large amount of money on the organisation and also bought it a land encompassing 108 perches at Madurankuliya, Peiris said.The Save the Pearls Organization had also received Rs. 27.6 million from a Qatar-based organization, linked to extremism, the Deputy Solicitor General said. A separate inquiry had already commenced under the Money Laundering Act, he said, adding that 16 boys who underwent military training and indoctrination classes at the school had already given statements to the court and investigation officers.Deputy Solicitor General added that an organised group had visited the majority of the children and taken affidavits claiming that their statements given to investigators had not been made voluntarily. He said that threats and inducements had been used to obtain the affidavits.
The AG had instructed investigators to arrest the suspects and produce them in court after studying over 1,200 pages of investigation documents, Peiris said. The AG also felt that a case could be charged against the suspects, Peiris said.Deputy Solicitor General said that attempting to create religious and ethnic animosity is a serious offense and urged the court to remand them.Attorney Niran Anketell who represented Hizbullah, denied the allegations leveled against his client and said that a magistrate has no power to give a verdict on suspects arrested under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) act. Anketell added that the detention order against Hizbullah is still valid and thus the magistrate could not remand him.Anketell said that the CID had recorded more than 50 statements from Hizbullah and nearly 116 persons were given statements about the operation of the Madrasa School.”The CID had only submitted selected statements to the Court and due to that matter, the Magistrate cannot give a fair conclusion about the remand order,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Magistrate said that the CID is obligated to submit everything related to the case and directed the CID to submit a summary containing every fact reported about the case on the next hearing date.
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Business
President invites exporters to rise again from the economic setback

President Anura Kumar Disanayake invited Sri Lankan exporters to rebuild and thrive on a robust economic foundation.
The President emphasized that our country faces the challenge of capturing market share from a position of relative weakness. He pointed out that, to overcome this, external support had to be sought. In this regard, he highlighted that the government is prepared to provide assistance for recovery based on the current economic stability.
President Anura Kumar Disanayake made these remarks at the 26th Presidential Export Awards Ceremony.
The 26th Presidential Export Awards, organized by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), was held on Friday (07) at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) under the patronage of President Anura Kumar Disanayake.
The main objective of the awards ceremony is to recognize exporters who have made significant contributions to the economic development of Sri Lanka.
The Presidential Export Award, presented by the President, is the highest honour for Sri Lankan exporters who have made significant contributions to the export sector and economic development.
The Presidential Export Awards program, initiated by the EDB in 1981, has been held annually to recognize Sri Lanka’s top exporters. The awards ceremony for the 2023/24 financial year took place this year.
A total of 14 major awards and 51 awards in the categories of production and services were presented, with recipients gaining the opportunity to use the Presidential Export Award logo as a marketing tool for three years.
President Anura Kumar Disanayake further emphasized the critical importance of the trust placed in Sri Lanka by international economic stakeholders to stabilize the country’s economy. He noted that the global market economy is interconnected, not entirely independent.
He further pointed out that the primary challenge facing Sri Lanka is securing a substantial share of the market amidst the current global division of markets and the ongoing competition to reclaim market shares.
President Anura Kumar Disanayake noted that the global market has become an interconnected network. He emphasized that in order for the country to become a key participant in this market, it must engage in trade agreements that are beneficial to Sri Lanka. He cautioned that aggressive, reckless approaches to market penetration would not be successful, stressing the need for strategic, thoughtful engagement.
The President further stated that the government is already taking steps to provide the necessary technical support for Sri Lankan exporters to enter the market with high-quality products. He highlighted the government’s focus on supplying new goods and services in response to global changes, in line with international market trends.
Regarding the reduction of electricity bills, the President mentioned that the government is prioritizing renewable energy sources to maintain long-term stability in energy costs. He added that efforts are underway to lower costs and ensure stable pricing over the next few years.
President Disanayake also emphasized that the government is committed to playing a pivotal role in advancing the nation’s economy to new heights. He noted that even small or misguided decisions can have significant negative impacts on the economy, and therefore, decisions regarding the economy must be made with great caution and foresight.
In his remarks, the President assured that the government is fully committed to fulfilling exporters’ requests, which are vital to strengthening the nation’s economy and maintaining a strong economic foundation.
Finally, the President invited Sri Lankan exporters to unite in strengthening the economy, stressing the importance of collaboration and mutual understanding to navigate the challenges of economic recovery and growth effectively.
The ceremony was attended by several distinguished individuals, including Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Energy Kumara Jayakody, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Thilaka Jayasundara, Chairman and Chief Executive of the Export Development Board of Sri Lanka Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Duminda Hulangamuwa, along with various Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Parliamentarians, foreign diplomats, Secretaries to the Ministries, and members of the EDB.
[PMD]
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