DHAKA: Sri Lankan authorities barred the Australian owner of one of the world’s most exclusive hotels from returning to his adopted homeland on Tuesday for flying the national flag upside down, officials said.

Geoffrey Dobbs, who is also the organiser of an international literary festival in the tourist city of Galle, was turned back at Colombo airport for the second time in five days, the officials said.

‘He tried to enter the country this morning, but we did not allow it,’ UG Udowita, the head of immigration at Colombo airport, told media, reports The Straits Times.

‘He flew in from Bangkok on a Sri Lankan airlines flight and the airline will take him out in the next available flight back to Thailand.’

BDST: 1615 HRS, DEC 24, 2013
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor