Bangladesh's commerce minister called for a swift Free Trade Agreement with Sri Lanka by the end of next year. 

“Let us sign before end-2018, it is time that we focus on much broader trade levels,” Bangladesh's minister, Tofail Ahmed was quoted by LBO as saying in Colombo recently. 

“Bilateral trade has been on the increase but the volumes are not so great, we can do better.”

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Sri Lanka and Australia this week, as Sri Lanka's Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Kapila Waidyaratne led a delegation to Canberra on September 6. 

The MoU on People Smuggling and Transnational Crime was aimed at increasing cooperation between the two countries on smuggling operations and maritime crime. 

Sri Lanka's Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs, D M Swaminathan introduced new regulations on Friday tightening inmates' access to medical services in hospital. 

Inmates requiring medical treatment will need the approval of three doctors in order to be admitted to the prison's hospital. Previously the recommendation of one doctor was sufficient. 

The US Senate Committee on Appropriations has approved the 2018 State & Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill, which includes new and harsher conditions on funds to be given to Sri Lanka.

The committee approved $51.35 billion in total for diplomatic and humanitarian programs that "strengthen U.S. national security and support American values abroad".

The sexual harassment of female employees by two administrative officers at Jaffna University resulted in a strike by staff and employees on Friday, causing the university to come to a standstill.

Two Sinhalese administrative officers at the university had been sexually harassing several Tamil female maintenance workers, but the victims had been reluctant to report the incidents out of fear. One employee had not attended work for several days due to the harassment.

A group of 12 Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MPs have reportedly informed Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena of their intention to leave their posts, reports Dailymirror.lk.

The parlimentarians raised concerns over ongoing allegations of corruption and the current government’s move towards power devolution.

The MPs informed the president after allegedly meeting with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday.

Sri Lanka's foreign minister, Tilak Marapana is on a 3 day visit to New Delhi will meet with the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi and his counterpart, Sushma Swaraj tomorrow. 

His visit comes just days after Ms Swaraj visited Sri Lanka for the Indian Ocean conference where delays in Indian projects was reportedly discussed.

The ongoing arrests and alleged attacks by Sri Lankan navy against Tamil Nadu fishermen is expected to be discussed during meetings, PTI reported. 

Members of the Northern Provincial Council voted to reject the 20th Amendment to the constitution but decided that the Council would remain open to further debates if changes were made to the amendment.

The vote was taken at the Council’s 105th sitting on Thursday.

The 52 Division of the Sri Lankan army marked its 22^nd anniversary with a blood donation drive in Jaffna last month.

A military ceremony was held at a school in Jaffna last month, to mark the opening of toilets built by Sri Lankan soldiers.