While issuing a Gazette notification to permit the burial of COVID19 victims, the Government today said it was considering a proposal to ban the burqa in public places.

The deciion, according to Justice Minister Ali Sabry, will be made due to security reasons.

The same proposal also seeks to amend the Muslim law in Sri Lanka by November 2021 by increasing the minimum age of marriage to 18 and allowing the bride to sign the marriage document.

The proposal, interestingly, coincided with the government's decision to permit the burial of COVID19 bodies — a grievance raised by the Muslim community in Sri Lanka since the first outbreak of the pandemic. "It is still not clear whether the government is trying to manage the ultra-nationalist Sinhala elements by announcing plans to ban burqa while granting permission to bury the bodies of COVID19 victim. However, the Muslim community is happy with the government's decision to end forced cremations even at this late stage," a source familiar with the matter said.

The permission was given to bury COVID19 a day after Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan concluded his visit to the country.