2018 in Sri Lanka


Events in the year 2018 in Sri Lanka.

Incumbents

Governors

Chief Ministers

Events

January

  • 21 January – A 44 year old motorist was shot dead in Kataragama by the police after defying the orders when riding the motorcycle, which led to turmoil and confusion in the Kataragama area as the police opened tear gas to control and disperse bystanders after the unusual incident at the religious area.
  • 23 January – The official trophy for the 2018 FIFA World Cup was brought to Sri Lanka and was kept in Colombo for 2 days and was displayed to the public as part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour, in which the trophy would travel across 52 nations. This was the first time Sri Lanka was selected as one of the nations to officially showcase the trophy in history.

February

  • 4 February
  • * Sri Lanka celebrated its 70th Independence Day.
  • * Arjun Alosysius and Kasun Palisena were arrested at around 7.30 AM regarding the alleged treasury bond scam issues.
  • 10 February – 2018 Sri Lankan local elections were conducted to elect 8293 members to the 341 local authorities.
  • 23 February – Komaali Kings, a Sri Lankan Tamil-language film released on this day becomes the first Sri Lankan Tamil-language mass-budgeted film in 40 years. The film also marks the rebirth of Sri Lankan Tamil Cinema as it released in across 50 theatres in the nation.
  • 27 February – 2018 anti-Muslim riots in Sri Lanka: Riots began in the town of Ampara between Sinhalese and Muslim groups. Mosques, restaurants and muslim civilians were targeted during the riots over alleged rumours that unwanted chemicals were being added to food items in Muslim restaurants, within the vicinity of the temple junction in Ampara.

March

May

  • 2 May – The final rites of the veteran film director Lester James Peiris proceeded with the state patronage.
  • 19 May – Floods began as a result of heavy rainfall, starting from 19 May, resulting in severe damages throughout the island. The floods left 13 dead, 23 missing and over 100,000 affected due to torrential floods.
  • 24 May – Ranjan de Silva, politician and father of Sri Lankan national cricketer Dhananjaya de Silva, was shot dead by unknown people.
  • 26 May
  • * 2018 cricket pitch fixing and betting scandal: Al Jazeera exposed tampering in the Galle International Stadium pitch previously in a test match against Australia in 2016 and in a match against India in 2017. The groundsman and Sri Lankan first-class cricketer Tharindu Mendis were accused and were investigated by the International Cricket Council for attempting another Galle Pitch tampering scandal prior to the start of the first test match against England in November 2018.
  • * Sri Lankan marine biologist Asha de Vos was awarded the Golden Alumni Award in the Professional Achievement category at the first edition of the British Council Golden Alumni awards.
  • 28 May – Sri Lankan veteran film and teledrama actress Deepani Silva was arrested and released on bail by the Bandaragama Police for her involvement in a car accident with three wheeler which left a 10-year-old child critically injured.
  • 31 May
  • * The Sri Lankan Cricket Elections which were scheduled to be held on 31 May 2018 were cancelled the day before following a stay order issued by the Court of Appeal, after a petition was filed against Sri Lankan Cricket Board president Thilanga Sumathipala contesting in the elections.
  • * A new map of Sri Lanka was officially released, with updates on Colombo City jointly with the Colombo Port city. This was the first time the map of Sri Lanka was renewed in 18 years.

June

July

  • 11 July
  • * It was reported that Sri Lanka is going to reinstate Capital punishment for drug dealers, president Maithripala Sirisena told the government, which earlier had unanimously backed the reinstatement of capital punishment, that he "was ready to sign the death warrants".
  • * The ICC concluded its hearing on the trio including Dinesh Chandimal, who had pleaded guilty to a level three spirit of cricket offence. His hearing took place before the start of the first Test against South Africa, with him found guilty. He received a two-match ban, with Suranga Lakmal captaining the side in his place.
  • 15 July – The scheduled inaugural edition of the Lankan Premier League which was supposed to be held in August 2018 was indefinitely postponed as a result of the change in country's cricket administration.
  • 16 July – The independent Judicial Commissioner handed down a further eight suspension points with maximum possible punishment for their spirit of cricket offence and suspended Chandimal for four ODIs as well.

August

  • 18 August – Akalanka Peiris became the first ever Sri Lankan student to sit for a Sri Lankan GCE A/L examinations outside Sri Lanka as he was granted special permission to write A/L exams in Jakarta, Indonesia just prior to his preparations for the 2018 Asian Games.
  • 26 August – Sri Lanka clinched maiden Carrom World Cup title in men's team event defeating defending champion India at the 2018 Carrom World Cup and also secured the second place in the women's team event.

September

October

November

December

Deaths

January

February

  • 2 February – Most Venerabale Professor Bellanwila Wimalarathana Thero, 77
  • 11 February – Ashoka Pieris, 50
  • 18 February – Kandiah Neelakandan, lawyer.

March

April

May

  • 1 May – Priyantha Fernando, 65
  • 27 May – W. D. Nimal Perera, 75
  • 29 May – K. A. Dharmadasa, 83

June

  • 2 June – Athagama Ebert Amarasena, 79
  • 3 June – Monica Weerasinghe,
  • 5 June – Hema Nalin Karunaratne, 55
  • 9 June – Somaweera Senanayake, 73
  • 13 June – Cyril Perera, 73
  • 15 June – Kamal J. Bernard, 65
  • 18 June – Ivor Dennis, 86
  • 20 June – Jayampathi Wimaladharma, 63
  • 25 June – Cyril Perera, 73
  • 29 June
  • *S. Karunaratne, 78
  • *Rohana Maddumarala, 77
  • 30 June
  • *Athula Somasiri, 77
  • *Chmara Lakshan, 39
  • *Roy de Silva, 80

July

  • 3 July – Piyasena Ihalavithana, 82
  • 7 July – Sarath Dharmasiri, 56
  • 8 July – Priyani Jayasinghe, 51
  • 11 July – Ruwan Hewage, 67
  • 14 July – Stanley de Silva, 84
  • 15 July – Rupa Kodithuwakku,
  • 16 July – Rita Tampoe, 80
  • 23 July
  • *Tissa Gunawardena, 85
  • *W. Ranjith Perera, 71
  • 24 July – Indika Ginige, 37
  • 25 July – Daya Kumarage,
  • 27 July – Soma Kiriella,
  • 29 July – Lloyd Gunawardena, 55

August

  • 1 August – Raja K. Seneviratne, 73
  • 2 August – Nanda Wilegoda, 82
  • 7 August – Gihan Rathnayake, 32
  • 8 August – Indrajith Navinna, 70
  • 17 August – Balangoda Sarath Madu, 69
  • 24 August – Edwin Batawala, 76

September

  • 11 September – Berty Thalagala, 83
  • 14 September – K. D. G. Wimalaratne, 79
  • 24 September – Francis Ranasinghe, 64

October

November

  • 1 November – Douglas Perera, 90
  • 5 November – Harish Jayaratne, 67

December