COLOMBO: The immigration officers stopped Basil Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka's former finance minister, from flying to Dubai, after they identified him. Basil is brother of Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has a major role on the economic collapse of Sri Lanka. He was stopped at the Colombo International Airport after the people and the immigration officers identified him.

When former finance minister Basil Rajapakse arrived at the airport secretly to leave the country, the immigration staff at the airport refused to do their duty. Following that, protests were staged against him and slogans were shouted.

Basil had to return bowing his head down as the passengers at the airport also joined the protest. There is massive public anger in Sri Lanka against the Rajapaksa family.

Meantime, the whereabouts of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled from his official residence following the public outrage, is yet to be confirmed. He has announced that he will resign from the post of President tomorrow. Thousands of anti-government protesters are still stationed at Gotabaya's official residence. Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence in 1948.