COLOMBO — Former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa returned to the island nation early on Saturday from Singapore amid tight security arrangements.

Rajapaksa, who had fled the country in July following massive protests demanding his removal, returned on board a Singapore Airlines flight. Rajapaksa reached at the Bandaranaike International Airport from Singapore where he reached after fleeing to the Maldives on board a Sri Lankan Air Force aircraft, Sri Lankan Daily Mirror reported.

As a former president, Rajapaksa is entitled to state accommodation and security and accordingly he will be living in a state bungalow close to Wijerama Mawatha in Colombo. The authorities are gearing up to give tight security coverage as there are possibility of further unrest in the island country.

Soon after Rajapaksa fled the country, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected as new president and Parliamentarian Dinesh Gunawardena was elected as new Prime Minister.

Rajapaksa is returning as the Sri Lankan authorities finalised talks at the staff level with the International Monetary Fund for a $2.9 billion bailout to revive the ailing economy.

The IMF has instructed to restructure the payment of default debts with creditors as a precondition to avail the fresh loan.

Several countries including the US, China, UK, India, Australia and Japan among others have come forward offering support to the island nation to get out of the current crisis that has made the normal life highly difficult. Essential supplies of oil, foods and electricity were disrupted forcing the people to stage several rounds of protests. — Agencies