19 women appointed as SLTB bus conductors

2026-02-09 - 10:40

Nineteen conductors received new appointments at this official ceremony held at the Makumbura Multimodal Transport Center on Friday. Nineteen women were appointed as conductors to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) on Friday, marking a first for the Government operated public transport and a milestone in efforts to expand women’s participation in the sector. Mass Media Deputy Minister Dr. Kaushalya Ariyaratne who attended a ceremony handover the appointment to the new female conductors said that the new female conductors will have a great responsibility to eliminate harassment against women in public transport. She also said that it is important for women to be represented in every field to successfully face challenges and create a better country, a better society and a more women-friendly environment. The Deputy Minister, who spoke at the event, further said:” Today is a historic day. As the first official female conductors, you have all joined history. We should remember Transport Minister Bimal Ratnayake. Since the day he took over the transport sector, he has tried to provide opportunities to women in this sector. He is also a Minister who has been sensitive to the harassment faced by women inside public transport. The granting of these appointments today is one of the results of that. It is also a result of the struggles that have been waged for women’s rights since then. We should be happy that women, who did not even have the right to vote in history, have reached this position today. Breaking boundaries, every sector has been opened to women in this way today. I urge you to face this challenge without wavering, no matter how many challenges come. By facing challenges in this way, women can create a better country, a better society and a more women-friendly environment. (dailynews.lk) (Except for the headline, this story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)