The Sri Lanka Embassy in Doha recovered more than Rs. 80.8 million in death compensation on behalf of the next of kin of Sri Lankan nationals who died in Qatar during the first seven months of 2026, Daily Mirror reported.
The embassy recovered a total of Rs. 80,886,895.32 between January and July, despite what the report described as challenges arising from the tense regional situation.
Of that sum, Rs. 13,229,128 was paid directly to the next of kin through the mission’s own efforts. The remaining Rs. 67,657,767.32 was recovered and transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism for onward disbursement to the beneficiaries.
The total includes settlements in cases that had remained unresolved since 2023.
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Qatar, Sithara Khan, and Minister Dharmasiri Wijewardane coordinated the recoveries with the employing companies, the ministry’s Consular Affairs Division, Qatari authorities and the legal firm that works with the embassy.
The embassy recovered a total of Rs. 197,719,710.36 in compensation during the whole of 2025 and arranged for those funds to be disbursed to the families concerned in Sri Lanka.
Context
Qatar hosts a large Sri Lankan workforce, concentrated in construction, hospitality and domestic work, and remittances from the Gulf are a significant source of foreign exchange for Sri Lanka. Death compensation claims are pursued through employers and Qatari authorities, a process that can take years to conclude — reflected in the 2023 cases settled within this year’s total.
