Businesses closed and bus and train networks came to a halt in a nationwide strike in Sri Lanka, calling for the government's resignation in the wake of the economic crisis.

Millions of workers joined the strike organised by Sri Lanka's trade union movement on Friday. Black flags were hung across the country to express anger against the government, and industrial workers demonstrated outside factories which privately owned buses were off the roads.

Scheduled train services except one came to a halt for the nationwide 'Hartal'.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has confirmed he will not step down, following the no-confidence motion brought to parliament by opposition.

Protests have been ongoing outside the president's office for almost a month.

Sri Lanka is facing the country's worst economic crisis, with acute fuel, food, and medicine shortages leading to public outcry.