Sri Lanka’s tea industry is facing a severe crisis as the Iran war drives up fuel prices and reduces global demand for exports. Tea workers in the Hatton region, such as Jasintha Malar from the Dunkeld estate, told Reuters they are struggling to cope with rising living costs. With cooking gas prices soaring, many families have turned to firewood, while declining exports have left workers in deep uncertainty.

According to the Export Development Board (EDB), Sri Lanka’s tea export earnings fell by 17.3 percent in March compared to the same month last year, dropping to 114.75 million dollars. Demand from Iraq, the country’s largest buyer, declined by 38 percent, while shipments to the United Arab Emirates plunged by about 93 percent due to maritime and logistics disruptions.

Dilhan Fernando, chairman and CEO of Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company PLC, said the industry has been absorbing rising costs for some time, but fuel and logistics expenses are now driving inflation across trade routes from Colombo to Dubai and beyond.

Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) president Shammi Silva and the board’s executive committee formally resigned following a decision made in a special committee meeting the previous day. The move came after Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake requested Silva’s resignation amid allegations of financial irregularities and growing public anger. The two sides reportedly reached an understanding for a cordial departure during a meeting last Friday.

The Sri Lankan government is now set to appoint an interim committee to oversee the cricket board’s operations. Former parliamentarian Eran Wickramaratne is expected to lead the committee, according to the report. Additionally, former national cricket legends Sidath Wettimuny and Roshan Mahanama may be given key roles to help drive reform within the board.

No official announcement has yet been made regarding the composition of the interim committee or the specific responsibilities of the proposed members.

Sri Lankan authorities arrested 22 Buddhist monks at Colombo International Airport for allegedly carrying more than 110 kilograms of cannabis. Officials said the group had returned from Thailand, and each suitcase contained over five kilograms of the illegal substance. The operation was conducted based on intelligence from a confidential source, marking the largest drug seizure ever recorded at the airport.

Police reported that the drugs were hidden inside the monks’ luggage. The seized cannabis is valued at more than 3.45 million US dollars. Sri Lanka enforces strict penalties for drug-related crimes, including indefinite detention without charge and lengthy prison sentences upon conviction.

According to the Daily News, this is the first time Buddhist monks have been arrested at the airport for possessing illegal drugs, highlighting an unprecedented incident in the country’s ongoing efforts to combat narcotics trafficking.

Sri Lanka Cricket is set to introduce a major overhaul of its player contract structure, according to a report published on April 26, 2026. Under the proposed system, players will no longer receive bonuses for defeating lower-ranked teams such as Bangladesh. Instead, they could face penalties if they lose to such teams. Bonuses will only be awarded for victories against the top four teams in the ICC rankings.

The new structure specifies that defeating the world’s number one Test team away from home will earn players up to 150,000 US dollars, while wins against the second, third, and fourth-ranked teams will bring 100,000, 75,000, and 60,000 dollars respectively. For home series, the amounts are lower. Similar arrangements will apply to One Day Internationals and Twenty20 matches. Match fees have also been revised, with different rates for wins, draws, and losses across formats.

Additionally, players will receive a 25,000-dollar bonus for reaching the top of the ICC rankings and 20,000 dollars for maintaining positions between second and fifth.

Sri Lanka has repatriated 238 Iranian sailors who had been stranded in the country following damage to an Iranian naval vessel caused by a U.S. submarine torpedo attack. Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara said 32 sailors rescued from the warship IRIS Dena and 206 from IRIS Bushehr left Sri Lanka on Tuesday aboard a chartered flight. Fifteen Iranian sailors remain in Sri Lanka to operate the Bushehr, which is anchored near Trincomalee.

According to Iranian authorities, the IRIS Dena was destroyed in the attack, killing 104 sailors, of whom 84 bodies have been recovered and sent home. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the Bushehr crew were sheltered under the 1907 Hague Convention for humanitarian reasons. Iran’s ambassador Alireza Dilkhoush confirmed that Tehran and Colombo had been in talks over the sailors’ return.

Analysts view Sri Lanka’s decision as a humanitarian gesture that underscores its diplomatic neutrality amid regional tensions.

Sri Lanka has reinstated fuel rationing and raised fuel prices by about 33 percent following the outbreak of war between the United States, Israel, and Iran on February 28. Iran’s decision to halt most traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for 20 percent of global oil and gas, has severely disrupted supplies to the island nation, which imports 60 percent of its energy needs through the strait. The government has introduced a QR-based rationing system similar to that used during the 2022 economic crisis, limiting weekly fuel allocations for vehicles and implementing a no-work-on-Wednesday policy to conserve fuel.

Officials say the government is absorbing part of the international price increase, resulting in monthly losses of $63 million. Bus fares have risen by more than 12 percent, while liquefied petroleum gas prices are up 8 percent. Negotiations are under way with Russia for fuel imports, and Sri Lanka has declined Iran’s offer due to lack of transport capacity. Experts warn that continued disruption could raise food prices by 15 percent and threaten food security, as fertiliser supplies are also affected.

President Anura Dissanayake’s administration is expanding storage capacity and pursuing agreements with India and the UAE to renovate facilities, but economists caution that the crisis’s duration remains unpredictable.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that his country has taken a neutral position regarding the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. Speaking in parliament after a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, he dismissed accusations that Sri Lanka was favoring any side in the conflict.

Dissanayake addressed criticism suggesting that Sri Lanka delayed permission for an Iranian ship due to a defense agreement with the United States. He clarified that both Iran and the United States had recently requested permission for their naval vessels to dock in Sri Lankan ports, and the government refused both requests to maintain neutrality.

The president emphasized that rejecting both sides’ requests demonstrated Sri Lanka’s commitment to a balanced foreign policy amid rising regional tensions.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told parliament on Friday, March 20, 2026, that the country had rejected a US request to deploy two fighter jets at a civilian airport in southern Sri Lanka. The United States had sought permission in late February to station the aircraft, equipped with anti-ship missiles, transferred from a base in Djibouti. Dissanayake said the decision was made to maintain Sri Lanka’s neutral stance.

The president also revealed that on the same day, Iran and India had requested permission for three Iranian warships to dock at Colombo Port after completing joint naval exercises. He explained that granting permission to one side would have required allowing the other, so both requests were denied. His statement received applause from the 225-member parliament.

Earlier in March, a US attack near Sri Lanka’s southern coast sank an Iranian warship, killing at least 84 sailors. Sri Lanka’s navy rescued 32 survivors, and another Iranian vessel was later allowed to enter Sri Lankan waters for safety reasons, with 219 sailors currently sheltered in Colombo.

Sri Lankan cricket legend Sanath Jayasuriya has shared a message of interfaith harmony during the holy month of Ramadan. The former national team star joined his Muslim friends in fasting and shared a photo on social media showing him at an iftar table with Farveez Maharoof and others, waiting for the Maghrib call to prayer. The post, made on Tuesday evening, highlighted his long-standing tradition of fasting with friends since his playing days.

Jayasuriya’s gesture received widespread praise on social media, where many described it as a symbol of brotherhood, empathy, and mutual respect. The act was seen as a reflection of how the spirit of Ramadan extends beyond religious rituals to embrace shared humanity and compassion.

Currently involved in coaching, Jayasuriya is awaiting new professional opportunities after leaving his role with the Sri Lankan national team. Reports suggest he may join Bangladesh’s coaching panel, though no official confirmation has been made.

The Sri Lankan government has announced a four-day workweek to save fuel, designating every Wednesday as a public holiday. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the country must be prepared for difficult times while maintaining hope. Under the new directive, schools and universities will operate four days a week, while essential services such as hospitals, police, and immigration will continue as usual. Wednesday was chosen to avoid a continuous three-day office closure.

The government has also made a national fuel pass mandatory for drivers, setting allocations of 15 liters for private cars and 5 liters for motorcycles. Many citizens have criticized these limits as insufficient. A similar measure was implemented during the 2022 economic crisis. Other Asian countries have also taken steps to address fuel shortages, including Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

The global energy crisis has intensified after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in Iran pushed oil prices to nearly 100 dollars per barrel, further straining regional economies.

A Sri Lankan court has ordered the transfer of 84 bodies of Iranian sailors to the Iranian embassy in Colombo. The sailors were recovered from the Iranian warship IRIS Dena, which sank on March 4 following a reported torpedo strike by a U.S. submarine near Sri Lanka. The incident left 104 crew members dead, while 32 others were rescued by Sri Lankan authorities.

According to Iran’s military website, the bodies of 84 sailors have been identified and will soon be repatriated to Iran. Sri Lankan divers have been unable to locate the remaining 20 missing crew members, whom Iran’s armed forces have described as “immortal.” The Dena frigate had participated in India’s Global Fleet Review 2026 naval exercise in February, just weeks before the conflict began.

Former Indian foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal commented that the tragedy might have been avoided if Iran had not been invited to the exercise, noting that the ships were unarmed under the event’s rules. Iran has warned that the United States will deeply regret the attack.

Sri Lanka has announced plans to issue free one-month visas to Iranian sailors rescued from outside its territorial waters. Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said the temporary visa arrangement aims to assist the sailors while they await repatriation to Iran. On Saturday, 204 sailors from the Iranian warship IRIS Bushehr were brought to a Sri Lankan naval base after the vessel experienced mechanical failure and sought assistance.

Earlier in the week, the Iranian warship IRIS Dena sank near the Sri Lankan coast following a torpedo attack by a U.S. submarine, killing more than 80 sailors. The Sri Lankan Navy reported rescuing 32 survivors and recovering 87 bodies from the incident. The attack marks the first time since World War II that a warship has been sunk by a submarine torpedo.

Sri Lanka’s decision to provide temporary visas reflects its humanitarian response to the crisis while coordination continues for the sailors’ return to Iran.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that the country’s navy rescued 208 crew members from the Iranian ship IRIS Bushehr, which was anchored within Sri Lanka’s exclusive economic zone near Colombo port. The ship had requested permission to enter Sri Lankan waters, and following discussions between the Iranian embassy and the Sri Lankan government, the ship’s captain decided to proceed with the rescue. The rescued personnel include 53 officers, 84 cadets, 48 senior sailors, and 23 sailors, who are being brought to Colombo port before being transferred to the Trincomalee area.

The rescue follows an earlier incident on March 4, when another Iranian vessel, IRIS Dena, was reportedly attacked near Sri Lanka’s coast. The United States claimed responsibility for sinking that ship with a submarine torpedo. Sri Lanka’s navy rescued 32 people from the Dena and admitted them to Galle National Hospital for treatment. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath later confirmed that 84 bodies had been recovered from the incident, with the remains also taken to the same hospital.

The coordinated rescue operations highlight Sri Lanka’s ongoing maritime response efforts following consecutive Iranian naval incidents near its waters.

An Iranian naval frigate reportedly sank off the coast of Sri Lanka following an attack from a submarine, according to Sri Lankan authorities. The incident occurred early in the morning when the vessel, identified as IRIS Dena, sent a distress signal. Sri Lanka’s navy and air force were deployed to assist in the rescue operation after receiving the alert.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told parliament that the ship had 180 people on board. Thirty injured sailors were rescued and taken to a hospital in Galle port for treatment. Authorities confirmed that 32 people have been located so far, while the fate of the remaining 150 crew members remains uncertain.

Rescue efforts are ongoing as Sri Lankan forces continue to search the area for survivors. Officials have not yet provided details on the source of the submarine attack or the current condition of the wreckage.

An Iranian Navy vessel has reportedly sunk near the coast of Sri Lanka, according to Sri Lankan authorities. After receiving a distress signal from the ship identified as 'IRIS Dena' early in the morning, Sri Lanka deployed naval and air force units to rescue the crew. The vessel had 180 people on board, and 30 injured sailors were rescued and taken to a hospital in the port city of Galle for treatment.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Wijitha Herath informed parliament about the incident, confirming the distress signal and the ongoing rescue efforts. The cause of the sinking remains unknown, and no official explanation has been provided by either government.

A member of the opposition in Sri Lanka questioned whether the ship might have been attacked as part of ongoing hostilities involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, but the government did not respond to that query.