Hundreds of Sri Lankans protested on Tuesday against a government clampdown on peaceful demonstrations over the country’s worst economic crisis.
Protesters marched to the Independence Square in Colombo and demanded the government withdraws the use of emergency laws against them.
The demonstrators, led by religious and trade union leaders, urged an end to the arrests of peaceful protesters, the dissolution of Parliament and basic supplies for those in need.
It is the latest in four months of street protests in the crisis-hit country.
Last month, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to Singapore and resigned after demonstrators stormed his official home and occupied several vital government buildings.
His brother, Mahinda, resigned as prime minister in May, with four other family members quitting as ministers before him.
Protesters accuse the Rajapaksa family of plunging the country into the crisis through mismanagement and corruption.
The former prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, was elected by Parliament to complete Mr Rajapaksa’s five-year term until 2024. However, many of the protesters say he was backed by lawmakers who are still loyal to the Rajapaksas to protect the former ruling family from being held accountable.
Several groups had initially called a major rally to force Mr Wickremesinghe out of office, but a lack of support forced them to hold smaller protests. They called for a temporary government, the dissolution of Parliament and fresh elections.
Sri Lankan hospitals struggle during economic crisis - in pictures
Since his election, Mr Wickremesinghe has authorised the military and police to violently dismantle protest camps and arrest those they identified to have trespassed the presidential palace and other state buildings.
Mr Wickremesinghe on Tuesday visited the army headquarters and thanked soldiers who protected Parliament when protesters tried to enter last month.
“If we had lost Parliament, it would have created a big problem … we would have lost the governance system that we know,” Mr Wickremesinghe said.
He said it was up to lawmakers to win over the confidence of the people.
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Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
