Cabinet approves to ban burqa, niqab

• There will be no prohibition to wear face masks to prevent the COVID-19 virus

By Chaturanga Samarawickrama  

Cabinet approval was granted to ban all face coverings including the burqa and niqab, Public Security Cabinet Minister Dr. Sarath Weerasekara said.  

Minister Weerasekara told the Daily Mirror that the decision will be implemented as a law after obtaining Parliamentary approval.  

The Cabinet approval was granted according to the Public Bill of Prohibition on covering of the full face in public places.   

“I requested for the approval to draft a law for the covering of full-face, adhering to the quarantine law which means there will be no prohibition to wear face masks to prevent the COVID-19 virus,” Minister Weerasekara said.  
The covering of the full face automatically included the burqa and niqab, he said.   

He said the move came nearly two years after a wave of coordinated attacks that were carried out on hotels and churches on Easter Sunday.  

On March 11, Minister Weerasekara signed the Cabinet paper over the ban on wearing the burqa in public places for the very  reason that the particular attire  directly affected the national security of the country. 

• The move came nearly two years after a wave of coordinated attacks that  were carried out on hotels and churches on Easter Sunday