Due to ongoing turmoil, the Sri Lankan immigration officials have said they have prevented the President's brother. He is also the former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa from flying out of Srilanka because of the rising anger against the government due to the economic crisis.
The Sri Lanka Immigration and Emigration Officers Association said that its members have declined to serve Basil Rajapaksa at the VIP departure lounge of the Colombo airport.
Basil Rajapaksa holds United States citizenship and resigned as the finance minister in April because Srilankan streets surged with a protest against the shortage of fuel, food, and other necessities. He also quit the parliament last month.
The President of the association, K A S Kanugala, has told Al Jazeera, "We were informed yesterday that Basil Rajapaksa could leave the country. But as we had decided to withdraw from duties from midnight, we didn't see him arrive."
He added, " following our decision to withdraw, Mr. Rajapaksa reportedly came for check-in from the normal passenger area. There many angry passengers shouted at him and then he left the airport. What we can confirm is that he didn't leave Sri Lanka officially."
His elder brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa is expected to resign as the President on Wednesday as protesters stormed his official residence and demanded his resignation.