On 16th March 2026, the management of MAS announced to employees at the Thurulie facility the decision to relocate manufacturing operations of the plant to nearby facilities following the severe damage caused to the plant by Cyclone Ditwah in late 2025. Thurulie is one of the multiple factories operated by MAS and its partners within the MAS Fabric Park (MFP) in Thulhiriya, Sri Lanka.

Despite significant efforts to restore operations, technical assessments indicate that the long-term viability of the facility has been affected by severe damage to the plant and machinery caused by the cyclone. Thurulie has experienced multiple flood events in the past, including the most recent, Ditwah; and assessments indicate a high risk of recurrence due to the low-lying nature of the property and its proximity to surrounding water bodies.

Continuing operations under such conditions would expose employees and operations to repeated disruption and preventable risk. After careful evaluation, MAS has concluded that continuing garment manufacturing at this site is not sustainable in the long term. As such, MAS will relocate the manufacturing operations of the plant and its employees to nearby MAS facilities.

Continued Employment, Compensation, and Support

All employees at Thurulie have been strongly encouraged to continue their employment within MAS’ other manufacturing plants, as Thurulie orders will to be moved to these facilities. Over 500 team members have already taken up temporary placements at nearby facilities in the aftermath of the cyclone, and the management is now working closely with the remaining 1,600 employees to explore the full range of transfer options, offering employees a 3-month salary incentive for relocation. With MAS’ wide network of facilities across Sri Lanka, we are committed to finding the best possible placements, as retaining our experienced teams is important to us and to the customers we continue to serve.

For those who are unable to transfer, or their personal circumstances make it difficult, MAS will provide a compensation package that exceeds legal requirements, along with all statutory dues and benefits. This process is being carried out in full compliance with labour regulations and with the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities.

Manufacturing across all other MAS facilities continue as usual, and the organisation is focused on maintaining operational stability, fulfilling its commitments and delivering reliably to its global customers.

Thurulie’s legacy

Thurulie is an iconic facility for MAS and required 40% less energy and 50% less water at the time it was built and was recognized as the world’s first purpose-built green apparel factory to receive LEED Platinum certification. Featuring a green roof, natural lighting and ventilation, it was here that MAS installed its first roof-mounted solar panels in 2008, a symbol of our early commitment to sustainable manufacturing. It is therefore, saddening that the risk of future climate-related disasters prevents us from safely continuing manufacturing operations at this location.

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Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s #1 connectivity provider, has committed LKR 420 million in support of the Government’s Rebuilding Sri Lanka initiative, aimed at accelerating recovery in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. The commitment will support critical recovery efforts across healthcare and education benefiting communities in affected regions. These include the restoration and upgrading of essential hospital infrastructure and the refurbishment of ICT facilities in affected schools, in collaboration with relevant authorities.

The commitment was formalised at a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office, in the presence of Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka; Hon. Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Health and Mass Media; Hon. Eranga Weeraratne, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy;  Secretaries to the relevant Ministries; senior Government officials; and senior representatives of Dialog. The discussions focused on the collaborative framework for the implementation of the proposed education and healthcare initiatives in alignment with national priorities.

In the healthcare sector, Dialog will partner with the Ministry of Health to support the restoration and upgrading of critical hospital infrastructure at Chilaw District General Hospital, Divisional Hospital Kotmale, Divisional Hospital Madulkele, and Base Hospital Puttalam. In the education sector, Dialog will work with the Ministry of Education to refurbish computer laboratories in over 20 cyclone-affected schools, restoring ICT infrastructure and connectivity to support continued learning.

Commenting on the initiative, Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, said, “Public–private partnerships play a critical role in advancing national priorities, particularly during periods of recovery following a disaster of this scale. The Government appreciates Dialog’s strong commitment to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka initiative, which will support the restoration of essential services and strengthen preparedness for the future. As Minister of Education, I also recognise the importance of restoring digital access and learning continuity for students affected by the cyclone. Such collaborations are vital to ensuring meaningful, long-term outcomes for affected communities.”

Hon. Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Health and Mass Media, stated, “Strengthening healthcare infrastructure following a disaster is critical to ensuring uninterrupted care for affected communities. Dialog’s support towards restoring and upgrading key hospital facilities will contribute meaningfully to improving resilience within the public health system.”

Supun Weerasinghe, Director / Group Chief Executive of Dialog Axiata PLC, said, “Cyclone Ditwah has had a profound impact on communities across the country, leaving many Sri Lankans facing significant challenges. Through this commitment, we are focused on restoring critical healthcare services and rebuilding digital access for students, while supporting national recovery efforts aligned with Government priorities.”

During and immediately following Cyclone Ditwah, Dialog supported over 8 million customers across its services through the provision of free voice, SMS, and mobile data, emergency home broadband data quotas, and complimentary access to select Dialog Television channels. This support enabled individuals, families, and communities in affected areas to maintain essential communication and access timely information when it was most critical.

This commitment builds on Dialog’s long-standing role in supporting national recovery during times of crisis. Following major landslides and floods in 2016–2017, Dialog implemented the Senehe Siyapatha initiative, under which villages in Aranayake, Kotapola and Ehaliyagoda were built to support families displaced by natural disasters. In 2019, in response to the Easter Sunday attacks, Dialog established the Rally to Care fund to provide long-term educational and psychosocial support to affected children and families. During the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021), Dialog contributed to strengthening Sri Lanka’s healthcare response through the establishment of fully equipped Intensive Care Units at Negombo and Homagama hospitals.

More recently, during the 2022 economic crisis, Dialog supported the development and nationwide rollout of the National Fuel Pass system, a Government-recognised initiative that enabled allocation-based fuel distribution and continues to be supported free of charge in collaboration with relevant authorities. Amid the same period, Dialog also initiated Manudham Mehewera, a nationwide food security initiative supporting vulnerable families across the country.

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HUTCH Sri Lanka has donated Rs 60 million to the ‘Rebuild Sri Lanka Fund’, instantly stepping forward to support the nation rebuilding following Cyclone Ditwah.

The funds from the CK Hutchison Group subsidiary will help rebuild public infrastructure and restore livelihoods across affected communities.

In addition to this financial pledge, HUTCH has taken direct action to maintain connectivity, offering free calls, data, and SMS, deploying mobile charging booths, and airlifting engineers to swiftly repair network towers.

“Our foremost responsibility in a crisis is to keep people contactable and safe,” said Saumitra Gupta, CEO of HUTCH Sri Lanka. “Supported by our Group, we are proud to stand with Sri Lanka throughout this journey of recovery. We thank TRCSL, the Digital Ministry, Defense Forces, and the Government for their prompt and decisive efforts to rebuild Sri Lanka.”

Through this donation and its sustained relief efforts, HUTCH reaffirms its commitment as a long-term partner in advancing Sri Lanka’s digital future and supporting its communities in times of urgent need.

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