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More than 5000 Lankans stranded in Dubai after going there on tourist visas

Published

3 years ago

2022/11/23

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sri Lankan migrant domestic workers

By Shiran Ranasinghe

More than 5,000 Sri Lankans have gone to Dubai on tourist visas, the Foreign Employment Bureau said. Some women in that group have been forced into prostitution and the Bureau has started a separate investigation thereinto.

Chairman of the Bureau, Mahendra Kumarasinghe, said they had stopped Sri Lankans travelling to West Asia on Visit Visas. Sri Lankans could no longer travel to Dubai or Oman using a Self-Visa as well, he said.

Kumarasinghe said the Third Secretary to the Sri Lankan Embassy, in Oman, had been suspended over allegations that he was involved in human trafficking. He has also been asked to return to Sri Lanka at his own expense..

The Third Secretary is a Foreign Employment Bureau official seconded to the diplomatic service. Kumarasinghe said out of the 45 women in ‘Suraksha’ home in Oman, only 14 had been registered with the Bureau. Unless there were court cases against the stranded Sri Lankans, those who have registered with the Bureau could return to Sri Lanka soon, he said.

“We are doing our best to ensure the safe return of those who had not registered with us, too. During the last 18 months, an organised gang has used the tourist visa facility for human trafficking. They lure Sri Lankan woman, promising foreign jobs, and once they get here, sell them for prostitution. I urge everyone who have been victims to come forth. This will help our investigations,” he said.

Sri Lanka is also to send a team to Oman and Dubai to conduct further investigations. The CID is probing immigration officers, Foreign Employment Bureau officials and employment agencies who are involved in human smuggling.

The main suspect of the human smuggling racket, named Irfaz, was arrested on Saturday (19) at the Bandaranaike International Airport. He has been remanded until November 24, after being produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court. His right hand man, Balakrishnan Kuganeswaran was arrested by the CID on Sunday (20). He has been ordered to be remanded until 01 December after being produced before the Fort Magistrate’s Court. On Monday (21), the CID took into custody a woman wanted in connection with the human trafficking ring involved in the alleged sex slavery racket of Sri Lankan women in Oman.

Police said the 49-year-old woman had been arrested after her surrender to the CID through her lawyers, on Monday.

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SAARC journalists meet in New Delhi

Published

9 hours ago

2026/02/6

Priyan

President of SJF Sri Lanka Chapter Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi hands over a memento to Dr Alok Kumar Mishra Joint Secretary of the Association of Indian Universities

Members of the South Asian Journalists Forum have gathered at the University of New Delhi for a two day conference themed ‘Peace and Co-operation’.

Journalists from Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India are attending the conference hosted by the University of Delhi in collaboration with the India Chapter of SJF, and will deliberate on how the media can act as a catalyst for regional stability and mutual coexsistence.

A tree plantation campaign was also held at the Ghandi Bhawan premises of the University to mark the event and symbolize growing regional ties.

The Sri Lanka delegation is led by President of SJF’s Sri Lanka Chapter Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi.

News

Governor of Gujarat met with Sri Lanka PM to discuss exposition of Devnimori Relics

Published

10 hours ago

2026/02/6

Priyan

The Governor of the of Gujarat, Acharya Devvrat, along with the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat, Harsh Sanghvi, met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on Thursdy [February 05] at the Parliamentary Complex to discuss the arrangements related to the exposition of the Devnimori Sacred Relics of Lord Buddha, which have been brought to Sri Lanka under the patronage of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India.

These sacred relics of Lord Buddha were discovered during archaeological excavations conducted in the 1960s at the historic Devnimori site in Gujarat, the home state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Until now, these relics had never been taken outside India. As a result of discussions held between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Sri Lanka, the people of Sri Lanka have been granted this rare opportunity to venerate these sacred relics.

The exposition of the relics is being held for a period of seven days, from February 05 to February 11, at the Gangaramaya Temple in Hunupitiya, Colombo. Discussions were held between both parties regarding the arrangements related to this event.

The discussion was attended by Samar Nanda, Joint Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Culture; Dr. Satyanjal Pandey, Acting High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka; Abhijit Halder, Director General of the International Buddhist Confederation; along with several others.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

News

INS GHARIAL makes port call in Colombo

Published

17 hours ago

2026/02/6

Priyan

The Indian Naval Ship (INS) GHARIAL made a port call in Colombo for operational turnarounds on 04 Feb 26. The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship in compliance with naval traditions.

Commanded by Commander Gaurav Tewari, INS GHARIAL is a vessel with a length of 124.8 meters.

During this visit, ten (10) Bailey Bridges, brought by ship, through the coordination of the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka, will be handed over to the Disaster Management Center. These bridges will provide temporary transportation links while bridges damaged across the island by adverse weather conditions are repaired.

The crew’s itinerary features scheduled goodwill activities with the Sri Lanka Navy, alongside visits to several tourist attractions across the island.