Politick Parliament. On record. For every citizen.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, M.P.

Jathika Jana balawegaya (JJB)· National List

Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and Leader of the House of Parliament

Profession: Politician

Roster profile ↗
Speeches 1,262 #1 of 225·#1 in party
Attendance 8/8 days present (of recorded)
Top topic Parliamentary Procedure 955 speeches
Last spoke 10 June 2026 in Debate

Activity by sitting

140 sittings · counts only, no scoring.

Topic focus

AI summary AI-assigned tags, 1–3 per speech. Counts only — not a score.

Speech history

1,262 speeches
  • 25 February 2025 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake urged that Party Leaders use Standing Order 27(2) or obtain the Speaker’s special permission when raising matters, particularly where prior notice allows Ministers to respond. He objected to repeated Opposition references to national security after earlier discussions and ministerial responses, arguing that such repetition was creating an unwarranted narrative of insecurity and could harm tourism. He requested the Speaker to grant leave for matters outside Standing Order 27(2) only where genuine urgency is established. Question by Private Notice: School Teachers Recruitment and Dhamma School Teacher Allowances (SO 27(2)) Parliamentary ProcedureSecurity & Defence Read →
  • 24 February 2025 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake noted, with the permission of Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva, that the latter was addressing Parliament using notes written in Braille. He stated that this marked a historic and special moment in Sri Lanka’s Parliamentary record. Adjournment Debate: Policy-Driven Programme for Persons with Disabilities Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 24 February 2025 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake formally moved the adjournment of Parliament. The Presiding Member put the question before the House, initiating the adjournment stage. Adjournment Debate: Policy-Driven Programme for Persons with Disabilities Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 24 February 2025 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake stated that he would request the Secretary of the Road Development Authority to prepare a report. Debate: Second Reading of Appropriation Bill, 2025 - Sixth Allotted Day Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 24 February 2025 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake notes that there is public interest in restarting a ferry service from Mannar, indicating a request or proposal to restore maritime connectivity from that area. The available excerpt is incomplete, so the destination, policy context, and any specific government response or demand cannot be determined. Debate: Second Reading of Appropriation Bill, 2025 - Sixth Allotted Day Infrastructure Read →
  • 24 February 2025 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake asked whether a ferry service between Mannar and Puttalam would be viable. Debate: Second Reading of Appropriation Bill, 2025 - Sixth Allotted Day Infrastructure Read →
  • 24 February 2025 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake moved that Hon. Sena Nanayakkara take the Chair during the sitting. The motion was agreed to, after which the Deputy Chairperson of Committees vacated the Chair and Hon. (Prof.) Sena Nanayakkara assumed it. Debate: Second Reading of Appropriation Bill, 2025 - Sixth Allotted Day Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 24 February 2025 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake requested that the member speaking be granted an additional two minutes by the Deputy Chairperson of Committees. Debate: Second Reading of Appropriation Bill, 2025 - Sixth Allotted Day Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 24 February 2025 AI summary Moved that, under Standing Order 127 and the parliamentary resolution of 6 December 2024, the Chair of the Committee on High Posts be held by Prime Minister Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya, in accordance with the Committee of Selection’s decision of 22 February 2025. The motion was put to the House and agreed to. Procedural: Committee on High Posts and Security Concerns Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 24 February 2025 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake stated that the port clearance crisis had been used to advance reforms, including moving Port and Customs operations toward 24/7 service and integrating ASYCUDA requirements. He said banks involved in trade finance and some port-related institutions also needed to adjust to support continuous operations, noting that many containers are cleared in the evening and night. He added that, with the President’s intervention, progress had been made and any emerging issues would be addressed promptly. Ministerial Statement: Prime Minister Response on Colombo Port and Digital Economy Public FinanceInfrastructure Read →
  • 24 February 2025 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake, with the Speaker’s permission, offered to answer a question that had been directed to the Prime Minister. He invited Hon. Ravi Karunanayake to proceed with his final supplementary question. Ministerial Statement: Prime Minister Response on Colombo Port and Digital Economy Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 24 February 2025 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake briefly intervened to ask a Member to clarify the matter being raised amid an interruption. The remark was procedural and did not advance a substantive policy position or proposal. Ministerial Statement: Prime Minister Response on Colombo Port and Digital Economy Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 24 February 2025 AI summary The Minister stated that the Port of Colombo continues to operate 24/7 and that recent measures have extended weekend operations to shipping lines and relevant inspection agencies, including Customs, Food Control, Plant Quarantine and Animal Quarantine. He said additional officers have been recruited and deployed around the clock, helping to largely clear the container backlog. He also noted that two acres at Bloemendhal were handed over to Customs for inspections, though containers had not yet been moved there, and said the Government plans to introduce a dashboard to improve port efficiency. Ministerial Statement: Prime Minister Response on Colombo Port and Digital Economy Infrastructure Read →
  • 22 February 2025 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake moved that Hon. (Prof.) Sena Nanayakkara take the Chair during the sitting. The motion was put to the House and agreed to, after which the Deputy Chairperson of Committees vacated the Chair and Hon. (Prof.) Sena Nanayakkara assumed it. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Second Reading Debate (Fifth Allotted Day) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 22 February 2025 AI summary A motion was moved to refer the alleged breach of privileges raised by Hon. Attorney-at-Law Nilanthi Kottahachchi on 20 February 2025 to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges under Standing Order 118. The House agreed to the motion. Ministerial Statement: Foreign Reserves and Debt Servicing, with Points of Order and Procedural Matters Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 22 February 2025 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake raised a procedural point regarding Standing Order 27(2), noting that after a question is asked and the Minister responds, the Member should not engage in further dialogue. He emphasized that the procedure had already been completed in the exchange involving Hon. Ravi Karunanayake. Ministerial Statements: Elephant Deaths from Train Collisions and Power Outage Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 22 February 2025 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake said the Government values the Opposition Leader’s suggestions and is taking a holistic approach involving the relevant Ministry and other institutions. He stated that immediate railway safety measures would be implemented first, with a review in one or two months to ensure such measures become standard practice before moving to broader reforms. Ministerial Statements: Elephant Deaths from Train Collisions and Power Outage Parliamentary ProcedureLaw & Order Read →
  • 22 February 2025 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake said the Government has identified key locations and causes of elephant-train collisions, including high-risk areas on the Batticaloa Line near Thalapathakanda and the recent incident near Gal Oya Junction. He said discussions with the Ministry of Environment, Railways Department, environmentalists, locomotive drivers and local stakeholders had produced immediate and medium-term proposals, including clearing vegetation along railway tracks, adapting bridges and culverts for elephant movement, widening narrow sections where elephants cannot move aside, installing sensors, and using community information. He emphasized public participation and tabled a document listing about 20 reasons for elephant deaths on railway lines, while requesting further practical suggestions from the public. Ministerial Statements: Elephant Deaths from Train Collisions and Power Outage EnvironmentInfrastructure Read →
  • 22 February 2025 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake addressed the recent train collision that killed a herd of elephants and described elephant-train collisions as a longstanding issue requiring a sustainable solution. He tabled data on elephant deaths from 2013 to 2025 and said the Ministry and Railways Department had already held meetings, including proposals to form village-level committees at collision hotspots to provide alerts to railway stations. He argued that technical measures alone are insufficient and cited community-based and conservation reports, including the Siyambalangamuwa pilot project and a study by Dr. Pruthiviraaj Fernando’s team, which he placed in the Library for further reference. Ministerial Statements: Elephant Deaths from Train Collisions and Power Outage EnvironmentLaw & OrderInfrastructure Read →
  • 22 February 2025 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake stated that steps would be taken to recover or reallocate the approximately Rs. 400 million performance bond, with Cabinet and district-level support, to complete pending road works. He said legal and enforcement action would be pursued against the contractors concerned, and that the matter would be referred through the Hon. Speaker to COPE to examine the decisions that led to the proposed re-awarding of the contracts. Oral Questions: STaRR Project (Q.1/2025), KL-2 Project Kalutara (Q.2/2025), Lands - Elpitiya DS (Q.3/2025), Meegahakiula Bus Station (Q.4/2025) Parliamentary ProcedurePublic FinanceInfrastructure Read →