Police Chief Orders Event Organizers to Pay for Security at Public Functions

Sri Lanka’s Inspector General of Police, Deshabandu Tennakoon, has instructed the Police Department to charge event organizers for police protection provided at public functions where money is collected from the public.

According to Police Spokesman Senior Superintendent Nihal Thalduwa, the funds collected will be used to pay overtime allowances and batta payments for police officers assigned to such duties.

The decision, the spokesman said, was taken after reviewing the cost burden borne by the Police Department in providing extensive security coverage for large-scale, revenue-generating events.

Charging for Commercial Events

This new directive follows a previous circular regarding fees for commercial or profit-based functions. However, police clarified that events open to the public free of charge will continue to receive police protection without any payment.

BMICH Asked to Pay Monthly Fee for Security

As part of the new implementation, the Police Department has requested the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) to pay a monthly security fee of Rs. 3.2 million.

BMICH — a major venue for both state and private sector events — currently has 262 police officers assigned for daily security duties. Since 2003, a permanent police post has also been maintained there to ensure the safety of high-profile dignitaries attending events.

Police Withdraw Security from Colombo Book Fair

Due to nonpayment of the required fee, authorities recently withdrew police security during the Colombo International Book Fair, leaving a gathering of more than 150,000 attendees, including several VIPs, without police protection for much of the event.

The BMICH management is now expected to hold discussions with the Police Department to resolve the issue and prevent future disruptions.

Trade Union Raises Concerns

Meanwhile, a government-aligned trade union, the Inter-Company Employees’ Union, has written to Minister of Cultural Affairs H. S. Sunil Senewiratne, calling for an investigation into the sudden withdrawal of the 56-member police security team led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).

The union expressed suspicion that the move might have been politically motivated, especially since President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and several ministers were present at the Book Fair at the time.