Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) Chairman Ramal Siriwardena has resigned from his position, marking the second high-profile resignation of a government-appointed chairman within a month. Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Prasanna Kumara Gunasena confirmed Siriwardena’s resignation to the BBC Sinhala Service, citing personal reasons.
Social media reports speculated that Siriwardena stepped down due to a disagreement with Minister of Transport and Highways Bimal Ratnayake. However, Gunasena denied these claims, stating that Siriwardena’s resignation was purely personal.
Ramal Siriwardena, who has previously served as SLTB Chairman on three separate occasions under different governments, was reappointed for the fourth time in October 2024 by then-Transport Minister Vijitha Herath. His tenure as Chairman spans multiple administrations, including the Chandrika Bandaranaike, Mahinda Rajapaksa, and Maithripala Sirisena governments. However, he did not hold the position during Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency until Anura Kumara Dissanayake assumed office.
Siriwardena has been an active political figure, contesting for a seat in the Gampaha Municipal Council under the National People’s Power (NPP) banner. His resignation follows a history of similar departures, including stepping down in 2019 after allegations of a suspicious insurance transaction during his previous SLTB tenure. Reports at the time suggested a disagreement with then-Transport Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, though Siriwardena attributed his resignation to personal reasons.
Attempts to reach Siriwardena for comments on his latest resignation were unsuccessful. However, when contacted via WhatsApp, he reiterated that his resignation was due to “a very personal matter” and denied any conflict with Minister Bimal Ratnayake. When asked whether he would accept another government position in the future, he stated that he had actively worked in Gampaha for three years to help bring the current administration to power without expecting any position.
Meanwhile, the government has yet to announce a replacement for the SLTB chairman position. Gunasena confirmed that no decision has been made on Siriwardena’s successor.
This resignation follows that of Senesh Dissanayake Bandara, who stepped down as Rupavahini Chairman on December 26, 2024, after just three months in office. Bandara later stated in a Facebook post that he had agreed to hold the position temporarily and was set to take on another national role in 2025, under the invitation of Health and Mass Media Minister Nalinda Jayatissa. However, it remains unclear whether he has accepted a new government position.
