MP Rishad Bathiudeen has raised alarm over an alleged directive banning Muslim female health workers in Trincomalee from wearing the Hijab. Calling it a breach of constitutional rights, he urges Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa to act swiftly and uphold religious freedom in public health institutions.
All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Leader and Parliamentarian Rishad Bathiudeen has formally appealed to Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, requesting urgent action to protect the constitutional rights of Muslim women employed in the Trincomalee public health sector.
Bathiudeen’s letter to the minister follows disturbing reports that the Provincial Director of Health Services in the Eastern Province allegedly issued instructions barring Muslim female health workers from wearing the Hijab a traditional headscarf symbolic of religious and cultural identity while on duty.
He said the directive has triggered deep distress among the affected women, arguing that it violates their rights to religious freedom, personal dignity, and cultural expression, all protected under Sri Lanka’s Constitution.
Highlighting that Muslim women have served diligently in the Trincomalee health sector for years while wearing the Hijab with no recorded disruption to their duties, Bathiudeen emphasized that the sudden imposition has sparked outrage among civil rights groups and local residents alike.
In his letter, the ACMC leader underscored four critical points:
- Religious freedom is enshrined in Articles 10 and 14(1)(e) of the Constitution
- Wearing the Hijab has not interfered with patient care or administrative responsibilities
- Cultural and religious diversity must be respected in all public institutions
- The appeal is not for a new concession but a continuation of an established norm
Bathiudeen urged the Health Minister to issue an immediate directive confirming that wearing religious attire such as the Hijab is permitted within public health institutions, provided it aligns with general health and safety protocols.
He concluded that denying such practices not only infringes on fundamental rights but also sets a dangerous precedent for religious intolerance in state-run services.
