SLTB Chairman Ramal Siriwardena Resigns Amid Speculation of Dispute with Minister Bimal Ratnayake

Ramal Siriwardena, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), has resigned from his position, marking the second resignation of a newly appointed chairman within a month. The resignation was officially confirmed by Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways, Prasanna Kumara Gunasena.

Siriwardena, who was appointed in October 2024 by then-Transport Minister Vijitha Herath, has served as SLTB Chairman multiple times under different administrations. His previous tenures include the presidencies of Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (1994–2001), Mahinda Rajapaksa (2006–2007), and Maithripala Sirisena (2015–2019). Notably, he did not hold the position during Gotabaya Rajapaksa's presidency or until the recent appointment of Anura Kumara Dissanayake as President.

His sudden resignation has sparked speculation of a possible dispute with Minister of Transport and Highways, Bimal Ratnayake. However, no official statement has been issued regarding the reason for his departure.

The resignation of Siriwardena follows that of Senesh Dissanayake Bandara, the former Chairman of the National Television, who stepped down last December.

Adding to his political background, Siriwardena was also nominated to contest for the Gampaha Municipal Council as a candidate representing the National People's Power (NPP).

As of now, the government has not announced a replacement for the SLTB chairman position.