2025 in Sri Lanka

Advertisement Close ← 2024 2023 2022 2025 in Sri Lanka Advertisement Close → 2026 2027 2028
Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	Other events of 2025 Timeline of Sri Lankan history

Advertisement

Close

The following lists notable events that will occur and take place during 2025 in Sri Lanka.

Incumbents

National

President	Prime Minister	Speaker	Chief Justice	Opposition Leader
Anura Kumara Dissanayake (Age 57)	Harini Amarasuriya (Age 55)	Jagath Wickramaratne (Age 57)	Murdu Fernando	Sajith Premadasa (Age 58)
National People's Power (since 23 September 2024)	National People's Power (since 24 September 2024)	National People's Power (since 17 December 2024)	Independent (since 10 October 2024)	Samagi Jana Balawegaya (since 3 January 2020)

Provincial

Governors

• Central Province – Sarath Abeykoon
• Eastern Province – Jayantha Lal Ratnasekera
• North Central Province – Wasantha Kumara Wimalasiri
• Northern Province – N. Vedanayagam
• North Western Province – Tissa Kumarasiri
• Sabaragamuwa Province – Champa Janaki Rajaratne
• Southern Province – Bandula Harischandra
• Uva Province – Kapila Jayasekera
• Western Province – Hanif Yusuf

Events

Ongoing

• 2019–present Sri Lankan economic crisis
• Operation Yukthiya
• Red Sea crisis
  • Operation Prosperity Guardian

Events by month

January

• 1 January – The "Clean Sri Lanka" national initiative commences under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
• 16 January – The government announces an agreement with Chinese state oil company Sinopec valued at $3.7 billion to construct a "state-of-the-art oil refinery" with a capacity of 200,000 barrels in Hambantota.
• 9 January – General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero is sentenced to nine months' imprisonment over defamatory statements against Islam.
• 10 January – Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga is arrested by the Mirihana Police for allegedly assaulting his neighbor.
• 13 January – "Amba Yaalu", the first 100% female-staffed tourist hotel in Sri Lanka is opened in Kandalama, Dambulla.
• 16 January – Sri Lankan underworld figure and drug kingpin Janith Madushanka, alias "Podi Lassie", is arrested in Mumbai, India.
• 19 January – Former Minister Gamini Vijith Vijithamuni Soysa is arrested by the Walana Anti-Vice Unit regarding an illegally-assembled lorry.
• 20 January – The Gal Oya Dam is breached in the Nena Kaadu area in Ampara, resulting in moderate flooding.
• 22 January – Former Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa and his wife are arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over allegations of misuse of funds amounting to over Rs. 6.1 million in 2014.
• 24 January – Four Sri Lankan cricketers are named in the ICC ODI Team of the Year 2024, with Charith Asalanka as captain of the team and Kusal Mendis as the wicketkeeper, as well as Pathum Nissanka and Wanindu Hasaranga. Meanwhile, Kamindu Mendis is included in the ICC Test Team of the Year 2024 and Matheesha Pathirana in the ICC T20I Team of the Year 2024. Sri Lanka women's cricketer Chamari Athapaththu is also included in the ICC Women's T20I Team of the Year 2024 as the captain. Kamindu is later awarded as the ICC Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year.
• 25 January – Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, is arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for committed offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act No. 5 of 2006.
• 26 January – The "Eagle's Viewpoint", the highest permanent settlement in Sri Lanka with an altitude of 6,182 feet above sea level in the Nuwara Eliya District, is opened to tourists.
• 28 January – Johann Peries becomes the first Sri Lankan to reach the summit of Mount Vinson, the highest mountain in Antarctica at 4,892 metres.
• 29 January – Jaffna District MP Ramanathan Archchuna is arrested over allegedly obstructing the duties of police personnel in Anuradhapura.
• 31 January – Ishadi Amanda becomes the first runner-up at the 40th Mrs. World pageant held in Las Vegas, United States.

February

• 4 February – The 77th National Independence Day is celebrated at the Independence Memorial Hall in Colombo with the theme "Let's Join the National Renaissance".
• 6 February – Sri Lankan scientist Prof. Neelika Malavige is appointed as the president-elect of the International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID), where she will assume the presidency in 2027 and serve until 2029.
• 8 February – Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Batticaloa District MP M. S. Naleem is assaulted by a supporter of the Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya (SLMP) and is admitted to the Eravur Hospital.
• 9 February – An issue at an electricity sub-station near Colombo leads to a nationwide power outage. Officials blame the incident on a monkey entering the grid transformer.
• 10 February
  • The new train service 'Ella Odyssey Nanu Oya' starts operations from Nanu Oya to Badulla.
  • Sigiriya is nominated as the world's most welcoming city for 2025 by Booking.com, in the "10 Most Welcoming Cities on Earth for 2025" based on over 360 million of its verified customer reviews.
• 11 February – Convenor of the Nawa Sinhale National Movement Dan Priyasad is arrested and remanded by Sri Lanka Police for an investigation over an alleged incident of forcing the Nan Eriya Police OIC not to arrest a drug trafficker in 2024.
• 13 February – Former Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) MP Kulasingam Thileepan is arrested by the 'Q Branch' of the Tamil Nadu Police for allegedly obtaining an Indian passport using fake address proof documents.
• 17 February – The 2025 Budget is presented to Parliament by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
• 18 February – Former Puttalam District MP Shantha Abeysekara and his son are arrested by the Police Illegal Assets Investigations Division due to an illegally assembled vehicle.
• 19 February – Notorious drug trafficker and organised criminal "Ganemulla Sanjeewa" is shot dead at the Aluthkade Courts Complex by an assailant disguised as an attorney.
• 20 February – An express train collides with a herd of elephants near a wildlife reserve in Habarana and derails, killing six of the animals.
• 26 February – The first Shell branded fuel station in Sri Lanka opens at B.S. Cooray Filling Station, Ambathale.

March

• 3 March – Sri Lankan massage therapist Praneeth Lasantha wins the silver medal at the 2025 Universal Massage Championship in Thailand from 80 competitors from 21 countries, becoming the first Sri Lankan to win the title.
• 5 March – Daisy Forest, the mother-in-law of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa was arrested in connection with investigations into a money laundering case. In the evening, Former Minister Mervyn Silva has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and remanded until March 17.
• 9 March – Sri Lankan cricketer Ashen Bandara was arrested by the Piliyandala Police for allegedly assaulting a person after entering their house.
• 14 March
  • Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) MP M. S. Naleem resigns from his parliamentary seat to contest in the upcoming local elections for the Eravur Urban Council. He is the first resignation of the 17th Parliament of Sri Lanka.
  • Sri Lankan rapper and singer known as ‘Shan Putha’ was arrested by Homagama Police for the possession of a 9mm firearm.
• 17 March – The 2024 (2025) G.C.E. Ordinary Level (O/L) examination commenced at 3,663 centres across the island, with 398,182 school candidates and 75,965 private candidates.
• 21 March – A K-8 trainer aircraft of the Sri Lanka Air Force crashes near Minuwangete in the Wariyapola area. Both pilots eject safely and are uninjured.
• 22 March – Two individuals: Yomesh Nadishan and Pasidu Tharuka, are killed in a shooting incident on Sinhasana Road, in front of the southern entrance of the Devundara Sri Vishnu Devalaya.
• 25 March – Former State Minister Sathasivam Viyalendran is arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) after allegedly aiding and abetting the soliciting of a bribe.
• 27 March – New Democratic Front (NDF) Badulla District parliamentarian Chamara Sampath Dassanayake is arrested by the Bribery Commission in relation to an irregularity that occurred during his tenure as the Chief Minister of Uva Province.
• 29 March
  • "Wild Cookbook", a YouTube channel run by Sri Lankan chef and YouTuber Charith N. Silva, becomes the first Sri Lankan channel to surpass 10 million subscribers.
  • Sri Lankan powerlifter Ransilu Jayathilake wins the gold medal in the 120 kg weight class at the 2025 Asia Pacific Powerlifting Championships.

April

• 21 April – The Vatican recognises 167 Catholics who died in the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings as "witnesses of faith".
• 22 April – Dan Priyasad, a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) candidate for the Kolonnawa Urban Council, is shot and killed by two individuals.
• 27 April–11 May – The 2025 Sri Lanka Women's Tri-Nation Series is held. It is the first to be hosted by Sri Lanka. In the final, India defeats Sri Lanka by 97 runs to win the series.

May

• 6 May – 2025 Sri Lankan local elections: Over 17 million voters elect members to 339 local authorities in Sri Lanka. The ruling National People's Power emerges as the largest party, winning 3,927 out of the 8,793 available seats and securing 43.26% of all votes.
• 9 May – A Bell 212 helicopter of the Sri Lanka Air Force crashes into the Maduru Oya Reservoir. Twelve individuals were on board, including two pilots. Six personnel were killed in the incident, comprising four from the Sri Lanka Army and two from the Air Force.
• 11 May – Twenty-one people are killed and 14 more injured when a bus carrying Buddhist pilgrims in Kotmale careens off a cliff.
• 23 May – Former minister Duminda Dissanayake is arrested by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) of the Sri Lanka Police in connection with the ownership of a gold-plated T-56 assault rifle discovered at an apartment complex in Havelock Town, Colombo on 20 May.
• 24 May – Winston Peters, the deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of New Zealand, arrives in Sri Lanka on a four-day official visit.
• 28 May – Radosław Sikorski, the minister of foreign affairs of Poland, arrives in Sri Lanka on a four-day official visit. He will be representing Kaja Kallas, the vice-president of the European Commission and high representative of the union for foreign affairs and security policy. The visit also coincides with Poland's current presidency of the council of the European Union.
• 29 May – The Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar of Colombo convicts former ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando in a corruption case related to the importation of sports equipment. Aluthgamage receives a sentence of 20 years of rigorous imprisonment while Fernando receives a 25-year sentence.

June

• 2 June
  • The formation and activities of 161 out of 339 local councils, following the 2025 Sri Lankan local elections, commences. This applies only to councils in which a political party or an independent group secured a clear majority.
  • Richard Marles, the deputy prime minister and minister of defence of Australia, arrives in Sri Lanka on a two-day official visit.
• 5 June – The Attorney General indicts former national cricketer Sachithra Senanayake on charges related to match-fixing during the 2020 Lanka Premier League.

Predicted and scheduled events

• July/August – 2025 Lanka Premier League

Holidays

Further information: Culture of Sri Lanka § List of holidays

Source:

• 13 January – Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day
• 14 January – Thai Pongal
• 4 February – Independence Day
• 12 February – Navam Full Moon Poya Day
• 26 February – Maha Shivaratri Day
• 13 March – Medin Full Moon Poya Day
• 31 March – Eid al-Fitr
• 12 April – Bak Full Moon Poya Day
• 13 April – Day prior to Sinhalese and Tamil New Year Day
• 14 April – Sinhalese and Tamil New Year Day
• 18 April – Good Friday
• 1 May – May Day
• 12 May – Vesak Full Moon Poya Day
• 13 May – Day following Vesak Full Moon Poya Day
• 7 June – Id Ul-Alha
• 10 June – Poson Full Moon Poya Day
• 10 July – Esala Full Moon Poya Day
• 8 August – Nikini Full Moon Poya Day
• 5 September – Milad un-Nabi
• 7 September – Binara Full Moon Poya Day
• 6 October – Vap Full Moon Poya Day
• 20 October – Deepavali
• 5 November – Il Full Moon Poya Day
• 4 December – Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day
• 25 December – Christmas Day

Deaths

Lucky Jayawardena (b. 1955)

Mavai Senathirajah (b. 1942)

Harry Jayawardena (b. 1942)

Malini Fonseka (b. 1947)

January

• 2 January – J. R. P. Suriyapperuma, 96, politician, MP (2010–2015)
• 8 January – Lucky Jayawardena, 70, politician, MP (1994–2004, 2015–2020)
• 11 January – Indradasa Hettiarachchi, 97, politician, MP (1977–1994)
• 17 January
  • Shiva Pasupati, 96, lawyer, attorney general (1975–1988), solicitor general (1974–1975)
  • Kulanthai Shanmugalingam, 93, playwright
• 19 January – Victor Ivan, 75, journalist
• 22 January
  • Anil Bharathi, 75, singer
  • Y. M. Sumanasiri, 81, sitarist
• 23 January – Anura Wickramasinghe, 80, journalist
• 29 January – Mavai Senathirajah, 82, politician, MP (1989–1994; 1999–2020), leader of Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (2014–2024)
• 31 January – K. B. Manawa, 87, author

February

• 1 February – Bernard Rulach, 77, cricketer
• 3 February
  • Harry Jayawardena, 82, industrialist
  • Kandiah Balendra, 85, business executive
• 10 February – Aruna Rankothge, 52, rugby player, rugby referee and coach
• 13 February – Kumari Perera, 68, actress
• 16 February
  • Inayet Akbarally, 88, business leader, co-founder of Akbar Brothers
  • Seetha Ranjani, 70, journalist
• 20 February – Amitha Wedisinghe, 82, singer
• 23 February – Santhusa Liyanage, 57, teledrama director
• 25 February – Peter Soorasena, 85, dancer
• 26 February – Wasantha Vittachchi, 69, actor, makeup artist

March

• 1 March – Susantha Chandramali, 61, actress
• 4 March – Prasanna Fonseka, 77, actor
• 17 March – Akushla Sellayah, 67, supermodel, actress
• 25 March – Gananath Obeyesekere, 95, anthropologist
• 26 March – Wajira Kasthuri, 57, author

April

• 6 April – Kosala Jayaweera, 38, politician, MP (2024–2025)
• 22 April – Dan Priyasad, 39, politician
• 27 April – Saman de Silva, 68, singer
• 30 April – Malith Dinidu, 33, volleyball player

May

• 19 May – Joseph Ponniah, 72, Roman Catholic prelate, auxuliary bishop of Trincomalee-Batticaloa (2008–2012), bishop of Batticaloa (2012–2024)
• 24 May – Malini Fonseka, 78, actress, filmmaker, politician, MP (2010–2015)
• 25 May – Erick Karunanayake, molecular biologist
• 29 May – Bandarawela Amithananda, 61, Buddhist monk, founder of the Delgoda Youth Center for Dhamma
• 30 May – Aththanayake M. Herath, 73, academic, senior lecturer at the University of Peradeniya

External links

• Online calendar