News

PM Harini to attend BIMSTEC summit in quake-hit Thailand

Published

1 month ago

March 30, 2025

editor

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra are expected to travel to Thailand later this week to attend the sixth BIMSTEC Summit.

The summit scheduled to be held in the Thai capital Bangkok on April 3-4 under the theme “Prosperous, Resilient and Open” will likely be overshadowed by the devastating earthquake in neighbouring Myanmar.

Myanmar, a member nation of BIMSTEC, suffered massive damage in Friday’s earthquake while Thailand too was affected by the tremors of the earthquake. However, the summit has not been rescheduled despite the disaster.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was established in 1997, and its member nations are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The grouping focuses on fostering trade, investment, connectivity, security, and cultural exchange.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be among those participating in the summit before heading to Colombo.

This would be the first physical meeting of the BIMSTEC Leaders since the 4th BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2018. The last BIMSTEC Summit was held in Colombo in March 2022 in virtual format.

(sundaytimes.lk)
(This story, originally published by sundaytimes.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

CBSL presents Financial Statements and Operations Report 2024 to President

Published

1 hour ago

April 29, 2025

editor

The Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) – Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, officially handed over the Financial Statements and Operations Report 2024 of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to President Anura Kumara Disanayake at the Presidential Secretariat today (April 29).

A copy of the report was also presented to Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

Several senior officials from the Central Bank were present at the occasion.

(President’s Media Division)

News

30 injured in a bus accident in Beliatta

Published

2 hours ago

April 29, 2025

editor

30 persons have been injured in a head-on collision between a private bus and a SLTB bus near the Hettiarachchi bend in the Beliatta police division today (April 29).

Police said that the injured have been admitted to the Tangalle and Beliatta hospitals.

Further investigations are underway.

News

Millions lost due to Kompanna Veediya flyover construction delay

Published

2 hours ago

April 29, 2025

editor

Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation – Bimal Rathnayake yesterday (April 28) visited construction site of the flyover being built from Baladaksha Mawatha near the Kompanna Veediya Police Station to Chittampalam A. Gardiner Mawatha, in Colombo, to inquire about the cause of its delay.

He pointed out that the government has been compelled to pay over Rs.400 million to contractors as delay charges and a significant daily loss of Rs. 500,000 is being incurred.

The flyover has been planned to be built from Baladaksha Mawatha near the Slave Island Police Station to Chittampalam A. Gardiner Mawatha, in Colombo.

Accordingly, 06 police residential quarters had to be removed, and as a result, the project was delayed for about 02 years.

According to the Transport Ministry, it was informed during the inspection tour that steps will be taken to promptly remove the police residential quarters, which have caused the delay.

Stating that the matter must be resolved immediately, the minister has instructed the relevant officials to ensure that the construction of the flyover is completed by the end of this year under any circumstances.