Except for Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, all 26 ministers submitted letters of resignation, even as protesters defied a curfew to take to the streets in several cities.

Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena informed that the cabinet's ministers had tendered their resignation letters to the prime minister, including the latter's own son, Namal Rajapaksa, tweeting that he hoped it would help the president and PM's "decision to establish stability for the people and the government".

Sri Lanka has been grappling with what is said to be its worst economic crisis being faced by the country since its independence from Britain in 1948.

The crisis has been caused in part by a fall in the country's foreign currency reserves, which is used to pay for fuel imports, which have been causing prolonged power cuts across the country and also shortages of essential items like, food and medicines.