thursday the 13th ofjuly marks the first anniversary of when former sri lankan president, gotabaya rajapaksas protests against his government's handling of the worst economic crisis to hit the nation. ?since then, the country has received a bailout from the international monetary fund, and a new government has pledged to implement reforms. the crippling shortages in food, fuel and medicines have eased but the activists who led the protests say not much has changed. the bbc�*s archana shukla reports. a year ago, i was here at the seaside expanse in colombo. and behind me, this area was full of protesters rejoicing the ousting of the then president, gotabaya rajapaksa, who was forced to flee the country. thousands had been camping here for months, protesting the economic mismanagement of the government that led the country into the economic crisis and demanding a regime change. the feeling then was very optimistic. but one year on, many activists say the country didn't get the change it demanded. melanie gunathilaka was one of the protesters camping here last year. what the youth wanted, i thi

that forced then president gotabaya rajapaksa to flee the country, but a few weeks later he came back the protesters had made, one of a regime change, and two of changing the entire way, the entire economic way the political system works. a latter that has not yet happened on ground the country. as far as the economic mismanagement and the economic crisis is concerned, the crippling shortages that we saw last year, they are over, so you are getting fuel at the pumps, you are getting food in the supermarkets and medicines are also available at the chemist�*s, but the problem is the price rise has been at such high levels that the purchasing power of people has come down dramatically. incomes have not gone up, and based on the mandated programmes, taxes have been raised and that has affected people's living standards and purchasing power across the country.— across the country. yeah, it has been — across the country. yeah, it has been extremely - across the country. yeah, it| has been extremely difficult. thank you so much and we will have more on that story as well in around ten minute

as we told you on newsday, it's been a year since the former sri lankan president gotabaya rajapaksa bbc�*s archana shukla reports, many are still struggling to cope with higher prices. this market was deserted in a year ago but is not abuzz with activity and businesses. there are shortages have eased in the country and few issues disappeared and bands are none etc imports like machines and auto parts have all been lifted, giving a boost to the important economy of sri lanka. my important economy of sri lanka. my conversations with people hear revealed that underneath this sense of normalcy, their lies and undercurrents of instability and worry. prices of everyday goods are still an issue. this coupled with lower wages have caused issues. last year, this man was on the verge of closing on his restaurant, one year later he still struggling. one year later he still struggling-— one year later he still struggling. one year later he still stru~lin~. ., struggling. most of the skilled labour has _ struggling. most of the skilled labour has left _ struggling. most of the skilled labour has

it's exactly a year since then sri lankan president gotabaya rajapaksa fled the country, after monthsments handling of the worst economic crisis since independence. since then, the country has had a bailout from the imf — and a new government has promised reforms to get the economy back on track. but while shortages of food, fuel and medicines have eased — people are still struggling with the impact of soaring inflation — which hit more than 67% last summer. as the bbc s archna shukla reports. this is one of colombo's busiest markets, the pettah market. it was deserted a year ago, but now is abuzz with activity and businesses. in the country, the shortages have eased, the fuel like that of machines, auto parts, even electronics, have all been lifted, giving a boost to the import—driven economy of sri lanka. but my conversations with people here reveal that, underneath this sense of normalcy, there lies an undercurrent of instability and worry. prices of everyday goods have continued to soar. this, coupled with lower incomes and higher taxes, has caused living standards to drop. for sm