The Sri Lankan Cabinet approved the proposal of a law banning the wearing of the burqa in public places two years after 260 people were killed in a terrorist bombing carried out by the “ISIS” organization that targeted a number of churches and hotels.
The proposal was approved by Public Security Minister Sarath Wirassekera, who considered that “the full-face veil worn by Muslim women poses a threat to national security and that banning it would improve national security.”
The proposal will be sent to the Attorney General’s Department and must be approved by Parliament to become law. The government has a majority in Parliament and the proposal can be passed easily.
It is reported that the burqa was temporarily banned in the days following the Easter bombings of 2019 for three churches and three luxury hotels in Colombo.