Deputy Minister of Tourism Ruwan Chaminda Ranasingha has strongly denied reports of a so-called ‘bikini ban’ in Arugam Bay, asserting that certain political groups are spreading false information on social media to undermine the country’s tourism industry.
Speaking at a press briefing, the Deputy Minister alleged that the disinformation campaign is part of a broader effort to disrupt government activities in the aftermath of the Local Government (LG) elections.
“We saw an image of a placard in English circulating on social media, falsely suggesting a bikini ban in Arugam Bay,” said Deputy Minister Ranasingha. “This appears to be part of an attempt to derail the National People’s Power (NPP)’s efforts to gain control of local government bodies — including the Colombo Municipal Council — with the support of the Muslim community and independent groups.”
The Deputy Minister warned that such fabricated narratives could damage the country’s image and negatively impact tourism. He further revealed that a recent incident in which an individual was seen openly carrying a weapon on a main road in Arugam Bay may have been orchestrated by an organized group to create fear and confusion.
“We have deep respect for the cultural and religious values of the Muslim community and have been engaged in the tourism sector in that area for many years. These issues didn’t suddenly arise in 2025,” he said.
Ranasingha concluded by asserting that the political groups responsible for such actions are those that have lost public trust and are now resorting to sabotage and misinformation to regain relevance.
