Despite witnessing wars for several years, Sri Lanka’s economy is in a tough spot right now, probably the first time after the country gained its independence.
It is on the brink of a humanitarian crisis as its economy runs into troubled times, first due to the pandemic and then followed by spiralling price rise. One major issue is growing food prices. Citizens are on the road, round-the-clock demanding the government to return their “good days” and surrender.
Protesters gather at the Galle Face seafront during weekend protests amid the country's ongoing economic and political crisis in Colombo, Sri Lanka. One of the reasons for the crisis is island nation’s huge dependence on tourism and foreign remittances. Which was sapped by the COVID-19 pandemic that set the pretext for the current crisis. Tourism, which accounts for over 10 percent of the Sri Lankan GDP, was hurt after it lost visitors from three key countries: India, Russia and the UK.
Public frustration had been rising in recent months with largely peaceful demonstrations taking place across the country. Sri Lankans hold up their mobile phone torches during a vigil condemning police shooting at protesters in Rambukkana, during a protest outside the president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Demonstrators pull down metal barriers as they try to enter the main road towards the parliament during a protest against Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa near the parliament, amid the country's economic crisis in Colombo, Sri Lanka. As the country continues to struggle, PM Mahinda Rajapaksa on April 26 asserted that he won’t step down the post and will continue to stand with people during this hardship time.
People are given packets of biscuits for free, while waiting in line to buy kerosene near a Ceylon Petroleum Corporation fuel station, amid the country's economic crisis in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The country’s political turmoil has about a catastrophic food shortage, with the nation’s 21 million residents now forced to pay triple for basics like rice, sugar, lentils and milk powder. The price of milk powder has jumped to nearly 1000 Sri Lankan rupees and a kilo of rice costs 500.
People wait in line to buy domestic gas on a main road, amid the country's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Litro gas price increased to Rs. 5,175. The Litro Gas company has decided to increase the selling price of a 12.5 kg domestic gas cylinder to Rs. 5,175. the price of a gas cylinder has is increased by Rs. 2500. Earlier, a 12.5Kg litro gas cylinder was sold at Sri Lankan Rupees 2,675.
Praba Ramnnaoordhy, 32, chops vegetables for dinner during a power cut in Hawa Kalanipura Wallampifiya on the outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), the largest electricity company in Sri Lanka, has announced that there will be a 4 hour and 30-minute power cut due to the lack of sufficient fuel and water to generate electricity.
People queue for kerosene oil amid the country’s ongoing fuel shortage at a gas station in Dikwella, Sri Lanka. The state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation’s (CPC) new price of 92 octane petrol Rs 338 per litre is an increase of Rs 84 and now matches the per litre price of Lankan Indian oil company (LIOC).
Police use water cannon on demonstrators during a protest against Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa near the parliament, when the mob tired to storm inside his residence. Sri Lanka began imposing record nationwide 10-hour daily power cuts, up from the seven-hour power outage announced in the first week of March, as it ran out of hydroelectricity. This soon, increased to 13 hours of total blackout as the country ran out of diesel as well.
A person takes a photo as a demonstrator walks near a bus that was set on fire at the top of the road to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's residence during a protest against him. Retail inflation hit 18.7% in March over the same period a year ago. Food inflation reached 30.2% in March, partly driven by a currency devaluation and last year’s ban on chemical fertilisers that was later reversed. Inflation was at its worst level in over a decade.
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