The following lists notable events that took place during the year 2023 in Sri Lanka.
Incumbents National Ranil Wickremesinghe(Age ) Dinesh Gunawardena(Age ) Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena(Age ) Jayantha Jayasuriya Sajith Premadasa(Age ) United National Party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Independent Samagi Jana Balawegaya
Provincial
Governors Central Province – Lalith U Gamage Eastern Province – Senthil Thondaman North Central Province – Maheepala Herath Northern Province – P. S. M. Charles North Western Province – Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena Sabaragamuwa Province – Navin Dissanayake Southern Province – Willy Gamage Uva Province – A. J. M. Muzammil Western Province – Roshan Goonatilake
Chief Ministers Central Province – Vacant Eastern Province – Vacant North Central Province – Vacant Northern Province – Vacant North Western Province – Vacant Sabaragamuwa Province – Vacant Southern Province – Vacant Uva Province – Vacant Western Province – Vacant
Events 2019–present Sri Lankan economic crisis Operation Yukthiya
Events by month January 5 January – Randimal Gamage, a frontline activist of the 2022 Sri Lankan protests, is arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport. 8 January – The Maho-Omanthai stretch of the Northern Railway Line begins renovations at the Medawachchiya railway station. 9 January – Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Monaragala Sisira Kumara is arrested after 350 cannabis plants and a metal detector are found in his possession. 10 January Canada imposes sanctions on former presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa and two members of the Sri Lankan Army, Staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake and Lieutenant Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi, over "gross and systematic violations of human rights" during the Sri Lankan Civil War. Athuraliye Rathana Thero is appointed as the president of South Asian Buddhist Forum. 15 January – The weekend special tourist train "Seethawaka Odyssey" commences operations, which is operational on the Kelani Valley railway line and runs from Colombo Fort to the Waga Railway Station. 20 January The first ever 3D Sri Lankan animation film Gajaman is released theatrically. Seven people are killed and dozens are injured by a school bus collision in Colombo. 31-year-old Thilini Nishadi alias "Teena", a close associate of notorious drug trafficker Nadun Chinthaka Wickremaratne alias "Harak Kata", is arrested. Police apprehend 12 grams and 800 milligrams of heroin which were in her possession. 23 January The 2022 G.C.E. Advanced Level examinations commence at 2,200 centers across the island, with a total of 278,196 school applicants and 53,513 private candidates. Sri Lankan cricket all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga is included in the ICC Men's T20I Team of the Year while Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera is included in the Women's T20I Team of the Year 2022. 29 January – Large-scale drug trafficker and organized criminal gang member Malalage Sudath Kithsiri Thushara, alias 'Weliwita Sudda', is arrested with 13 grams of heroin in his possession at Kotelawala, Kaduewela. Thuppahi Mudalige, alias 'Adadola Ranga', identified as a close associate of notorious crime figure Sobanahandi Jayalath de Silva, alias 'Karandeniye Sudda' is also arrested with 15 grams of heroin in his possession. 30 January – A large-scale drug trafficker, Dharmakeerthi Udeni Inuka Perera, alias 'Disco', was arrested while in possession of drugs and sharp weapons. 31 January – Notorious underworld figure 'Kalutara Sudda', wanted for nine crimes, is arrested alongside two suspected female accomplices.
February 3 February – 2023 Sri Lankan national honours: Former Speaker of the Parliament Karu Jayasuriya is conferred with the honorary Sri Lankabhimanya award, the highest national honour of Sri Lanka, by President Ranil Wickremesinghe. 4 February – 75th anniversary of Sri Lankan independence from the British Empire. 11 February – ACTC MP Selvarajah Kajendren and 17 others are arrested in Jaffna. 16 February – Notorious drug dealer named Prasad Priyankara alias "Chanthu" from Andiambalama, accused of multiple crimes is killed after being gunned down in Boragodawatta, Minuwangoda. 19 February – The Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy hosts a 'Janaraja Perahera', the first since 1987, which was organized in light of the 75th independence celebrations. 23 February – SLPP parliamentarian Prof. Ranjith Bandara is appointed as chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) in Parliament. 24 February State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna is appointed as chairperson of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA). Sri Lankan-born, Harvard-educated Professor Antony Anghie is conferred the Manley O. Hudson Medal by the American Society of International Law (ASIL) for his contributions to scholarship and achievement in international law.
March 3 March – Sri Lankan model Sandani Peiris is crowned as 2nd runner-up at the 29th "Top Model of the World 2023", held from 20 February to 3 March in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt and was organized by the World Beauty Organization with the participation of 42 models. 6 March – Notorious Sri Lankan drug kingpin Nadun Chinthaka alias "Harak Kata" and his accomplice Salindu Malshika Gunaratne alias "Kudu Salindu" are arrested in Madagascar. They were brought to Sri Lanka on the 15th by a team of CID officers. 8 March – SriLankan Airlines "celebrate[s] the power of women" with an all-female crew aboard a flight to India in Flight UL131, in light of International Women's Day. 11 March – The quality of air in parts of Sri Lanka drops, with the air quality index (AQI) in Colombo reaching an "unhealthy" level of concern (numerical value between 151 and 200). 17 March Criminal figure Ravindu Sanka de Silva alias "Booru Muna", accused of shooting a restaurant owner dead in Hanwella in 18 December 2022, is arrested in Avissawella. Former MP J. Sri Ranga is arrested by the Police for coercing witnesses.
April 8 April Professor Sunil Ariyaratne is appointed as the new chancellor of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts. Ill-famed female drug dealer named "Yasorapura Dhammi" is arrested with 10g and 100 mg of heroin. 9 April – The engine compartment of the Samudradevi train, which ran from Galle to Maradana, is separated from the train in the Kalutara-North area and ran for a distance of nearly one kilometer. 10 April – The 2022 G.C.E Ordinary Level examinations which were scheduled to commence on 15 May are postponed by two weeks. 22 April – "Wasath Siriya – 2023", a Sinhala and Tamil New Year Festival is held at the Shangri-La Green premises in Colombo with the participation of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. 29 April – Notorious criminal figure Sinharage Saminda Silva alias 'Ratmalane Kudu Anju' is arrested in France.
May 3 May – The government shuts down 'Maga Neguma' and four of its affiliated institutions, due to lack of funds. 16 May – 2024 Sri Lankan presidential election: Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa announces he will run for president in 2024. 17 May – The World Rugby Council suspends Sri Lanka Rugby from World Rugby membership with immediate effect due to concerns about the governance of Sri Lanka Rugby and a breach of the World Rugby Bye-Laws relating to political interference. 23 May Kushani Rohanadeera assumes duties as the new Secretary General of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, following the resignation of her predecessor Dhammika Dasanayake. ACMC parliamentarian Ali Sabri Raheem is arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake for smuggling a 3.5 kg stock of undeclared gold. 25 May – Sri Lankan sprinter Yupun Abeykoon wins second place in the Men's 100m finals at the 12th International Meeting "Citta' Di Savona" held in Italy, with a timing of 10.01 seconds (+2.7). 28 May – Stand-up comedian Nathasha Edirisooriya is arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department after making offensive statements about Buddhism, Islam and Christianity in a stand-up comedy segment. On 31 May, Bruno Divakara, owner of the YouTube channel 'SL-Vlogs', was also arrested for the same incident. 29 May The G.C.E. Ordinary Level examinations 2022 (2023) commenced at 3,568 centres island-wide and with 472,553 candidates. Ven. Rajangane Saddharathana Thero is arrested by police in Anuradhapura after making controversial statements which "could disrupt religious harmony."
June 1 June – The production, importation, selling and use of several plastic products is banned in Sri Lanka following a decision made by the Cabinet of Ministers earlier this year on 14 February. The ban includes single-use plastic straws and stirrers, single-use plastic plates, cups (except yoghurt cups), knives, spoons (including yoghurt spoons) and forks, plastic flower garlands and plastic string hopper trays. Meanwhile, government has made it mandatory to test imported dried fish, sprats and fruits for heavy metals as well. 4 June Sri Lanka is unanimously elected as a vice president of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly which will assume the relevant position for the Asia Pacific region from September 2023 to September 2024. Tharushi Dissanayaka wins a Silver medal and Jayeshi Uththara wins a Bronze medal at the 2023 Asian U20 Athletics Championships in 400 metres. The next day, Dissanayaka wins the Gold medal in the Women's 800m event with a time of 2:05.64, and Sri Lanka wins a Gold medal in the 4x400m Mixed Relay event with a time of 3:25.41 represented by Tharushi Karunarathna, Jayeshi Uththara, Vinod Ariyawansha and Shehan Dilranga. Malith Yasiru wins the Bronze medal in the Men's Triple Jump event. A total of 31 students (16 second-year students and 15 from the third year) of the Faculty of Management and Business Studies of Jaffna University have been suspended owing to unruly behavior. 6 June – The Balapitiya High Court sentences a resident of the Korakeena area of Uragasmanhandiya to 110 years of rigorous imprisonment after being found guilty of serious sexual assault of his 11 year-old daughter on multiple occasions since 2008. 7 June – Parliamentarian Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam is arrested after accused of obstructing the duties of police officers. 11 June – Sri Lanka's triple jump national record holder Shreshan Dananjaya reportedly goes missing in Switzerland during an invitational athletics tournament held in Geneva, Switzerland. 13 June – Former Minister Navin Dissanayake is appointed as the new Governor of Sabaragamuwa Province after the resignation of his predecessor, Tikiri Kobbekaduwa. 15 June – The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) confirms the hybrid model for the 2023 Asia Cup, with Pakistan set to host four matches and the remaining nine games to be hosted in Sri Lanka. 19 June – Former Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama is appointed as Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, with effect from 1 August 2023. 26 June – The Department of Wildlife Conservation cancels plans to export about 100,000 endangered toque macaque Old World monkeys to China after several environmentalists initiated legal action in the Court of Appeal against the export. 27 June – The Mahāvaṃsa is listed among the 64 new items of documentary heritage inscribed on the UNESCO's Memory of the World International Register in 2023.
July 1 July – The University of Peradeniya hosts an Open Day to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the university's establishment, where all nine of the university's faculties were open to the public. 2 July Tusker 'Muthu Raja' is airlifted to Thailand by a special flight which left the Bandaranaike International Airport. Sri Lanka qualifies for the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India after a nine wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifier. 4 July