Tuesday Jun 23, 2026
Tuesday Jun 23, 2026
Monday, 22 June 2026 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
SJB MP Mujibur Rahman
The main Opposition party, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Mujibur Rahman yesterday accused the Government of exploiting the Middle East conflict to justify repeated fuel price hikes, pointing out that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had assured the country in March that Sri Lanka possessed sufficient fuel stocks for approximately three months, yet fuel prices were subsequently increased multiple times.
Rahman questioned the rationale behind the hikes, arguing that they were imposed despite the country relying on stocks imported before the escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
“The President himself stated in March that the country had enough fuel stocks for about three months. Despite that assurance, the Government proceeded to increase fuel prices several times from March onwards without importing a single new oil shipment affected by the conflict,” he claimed.
He said the Government had transformed the fuel pricing formula into a mechanism for extracting additional revenue from consumers while citing geopolitical uncertainty as justification.
He alleged that fuel imported before the conflict had been purchased at significantly lower prices, but retail prices were nevertheless increased. According to Rahman, authorities are now refusing to pass on the benefits of falling global oil prices to consumers, while claiming that existing stocks had been procured at higher prices.
“The Government increased the price of fuel purchased at lower international rates, but now that global prices have eased, it says it cannot reduce prices because it bought fuel at higher prices. This is a contradiction,” he said.
Rahman claimed that from 28 February, prices of key fuel categories had risen sharply, adding pressure on households already struggling with rising living costs and inflation. He argued that higher fuel costs had a cascading impact across the economy by increasing transportation and production expenses, ultimately raising the prices of goods and services.
The MP also accused the Government of failing to provide relief despite increasing tax burdens on the public and said purchasing power was steadily eroding as a result.
Drawing comparisons with regional countries, Rahman claimed that governments elsewhere had reduced fuel prices or provided tax concessions to cushion consumers from economic pressures. He alleged the administration is maintaining high taxes on fuel despite election pledges to remove what it previously described as unfair levies.
He also questioned the transparency of the fuel pricing mechanism, alleging that information sought through the Right to Information framework had not been adequately disclosed.
“The Government came to power promising transparency, but when information regarding fuel pricing is requested, proper details are not provided,” he alleged.
Rahman also revisited claims previously made by National People’s Power (NPP) representatives regarding commissions embedded in fuel pricing, calling on the Government to clarify whether such charges still exist and who benefits from them.
He also criticised the Government over delays in holding Provincial Council (PC) Elections, referring to recent remarks by senior ruling party figures regarding election funding.
He also called for a full investigation into the reported disappearance of $ 2.5 million linked to the Treasury, arguing that senior officials should be held accountable and that an independent inquiry was necessary.
Rahman urged the Government to expedite investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks and other unresolved high-profile crimes. While welcoming ongoing probes, he stressed that accountability should not be politicised.
“The Easter attacks should not be used for political gain. Those responsible must be identified and brought before the law, but the issue should not be exploited for votes,” he said.
