Bankrupt Sri Lanka seeks urgent help to feed children | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Get the Paper
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Thursday
July 24, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Get the Paper
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2025
Bankrupt Sri Lanka seeks urgent help to feed children

Sri Lanka Crisis

BSS/ AFP
01 August, 2022, 04:50 pm
Last modified: 01 August, 2022, 04:55 pm

Related News

  • Bangladesh opt to bat first to level series against Sri Lanka
  • Dhaka wants to strengthen economic cooperation with Colombo
  • Sri Lanka keen to strengthen relations with Bangladesh's private sector
  • Sri Lanka seeks Bangladesh investment for pharma industry development
  • Sri Lanka train kills elephant despite new safety moves

Bankrupt Sri Lanka seeks urgent help to feed children

The bankrupt state, grappling with Sri Lanka's worst economic crisis since independence, was unable to sustain welfare

BSS/ AFP
01 August, 2022, 04:50 pm
Last modified: 01 August, 2022, 04:55 pm
Protestors shout slogans during a protest demanding the resignation of Sri Lanka's acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in Colombo, Sri Lanka July 19, 2022. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
Protestors shout slogans during a protest demanding the resignation of Sri Lanka's acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in Colombo, Sri Lanka July 19, 2022. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Sri Lanka issued an urgent appeal on Monday (1 Aug) to tackle rapidly spreading malnutrition among children as its economic crisis leaves nine out of 10 people dependent on state handouts.

The Ministry for Women and Child Affairs said they were seeking private donations to feed possibly several hundred thousand children wasting due to insufficient food.

The bankrupt state, grappling with Sri Lanka's worst economic crisis since independence, was unable to sustain welfare.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

"When the Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak, the problem was bad, but now, with the economic crisis, the situation is far worse," secretary Neil Bandara Hapuhinne told reporters in Colombo.

Hapuhinne said they had counted 127,000 malnourished children among the 570,000 girls and boys below the age of five in mid-2021.

Since then, he estimated the numbers have increased several fold with the full impact of rampant inflation and dire shortages of food and other essentials.

He said the number of people receiving direct state handouts has almost doubled in the past year with over 90 per cent of the population now relying on the government for financial help.

Hapuhinne said these included about 1.6 million government employees.

Sri Lanka's inflation was officially measured at 60.8 per cent in July, but private economists say it is well over 100 per cent and second only to Zimbabwe.

The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has also issued an appeal for funding saying that children in Sri Lanka were disproportionately affected by the severe economic crisis.

The country ran out of foreign exchange to finance even essential imports late last year and Colombo defaulted on its US$51 billion foreign debt in mid-April.

Under embattled new President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the government is now in bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund.

The country's 22 million people endure lengthy daily power cuts, long queues for fuel and shortages of staple food and medicines in a country that once had South Asia's best social indicators.

Last month, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country and quit after thousands of protesters angry at the economic crisis stormed his official residence

Top News / World+Biz / South Asia

Sri Lanka / Sri Lanka economic crisis / Sri Lanka crisis

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  •  ABM Khairul Haque. File Photo: Collected
    Former chief justice Khairul Haque detained
  • Infographics: TBS
    Stay orders won’t shield defaulters: BB governor 
  • Representational image/Reuters
    Dollar gets upward push as BB buys $10m more in auction at even higher rate

MOST VIEWED

  • Photo: Collected
    Bangladeshi man jailed for life in UK for murdering wife in front of their baby
  • Ctg port authority halts contractor recruitment for Kamalapur ICD operations for two months
    Ctg port authority halts contractor recruitment for Kamalapur ICD operations for two months
  • Fire at Cosmo School in Mirpur on 23 July 2025. Photo: TBS
    Fire breaks out at Cosmo School in Mirpur following generator explosion
  • Representational image. File Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS
    Debate arises as edu adviser says postponed HSC exams of 22 and 24 July will be held on same day
  • The Government Seal of Bangladesh
    Govt mulls allowing trade unions with 20 workers, industry leaders warn of disorder
  • Photo: CA Press Wing
    Stronger stance needed on maintaining law and order: Political parties to CA

Related News

  • Bangladesh opt to bat first to level series against Sri Lanka
  • Dhaka wants to strengthen economic cooperation with Colombo
  • Sri Lanka keen to strengthen relations with Bangladesh's private sector
  • Sri Lanka seeks Bangladesh investment for pharma industry development
  • Sri Lanka train kills elephant despite new safety moves

Features

Photo: Collected

24 July: More than 1400 arrested, 3 missing coordinators found

10h | Panorama
Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS

Aggrieved nation left with questions as citizens rally to help at burn institute

1d | Panorama
Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS

Mourning turns into outrage as Milestone students seek truth and justice

1d | Panorama
Illustration: TBS

Uttara, Jatrabari, Savar and more: The killing fields that ran red with July martyrs’ blood

2d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Why are there renewed tensions between Iran and Israel?

Why are there renewed tensions between Iran and Israel?

37m | Others
Coca-Cola is launching a 'Trump version' made with cane sugar

Coca-Cola is launching a 'Trump version' made with cane sugar

2h | Others
ISPR reports 31 dead, official tally 29

ISPR reports 31 dead, official tally 29

12h | TBS Today
13 political parties meet with chief advisor; urge to announce election date

13 political parties meet with chief advisor; urge to announce election date

12h | TBS Today
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net