The Sunday Times however has noted discrepancies between data provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) regarding the Sri Lankan population in West Asia. When the conflict first started, there were many inquiries, but now it has reduced to around 10 to 15 calls per day, mostly from family members in Sri Lanka asking about their relatives,” he said. The Sri Lankan Mission in Israel has coordinated the departure of nationals via Egypt, working in coordination with the embassy in Cairo. One Sri Lankan crew member of the vessel MT Valiant Roar, who was held in Iranian custody, was released and sent to Armenia on March 26. Sri Lanka recorded its highest ever annual foreign remittances in 2025, reaching $8.1 billion, which stands as an all-time record.

Source: Sunday Times March 29, 2026 04:30 UTC