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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
  • 10 April 2026 AI summary On behalf of the Minister, Bimal Rathnayake tabled a response on rice imports and paddy procurement. It stated that imports of GR 11 rice equivalent to Keeri Samba were permitted by Gazette Extraordinary 2458/43 from 15 October to 10 November 2025, subject to importer limits, with institutional details and tax revenue placed in the Library. The response also noted that Rs. 10,000 million has been allocated in 2026 for paddy procurement, with the Paddy Marketing Board targeting 80,000 MT, refurbishing storage facilities, and releasing milled stocks through CWE, Lanka Sathosa, co-operatives, and the private sector. Oral Questions: Second Round and Supplementary Questions AgriculturePublic Finance Read →
  • 10 April 2026 AI summary On behalf of the Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Bimal Rathnayake requested two weeks to provide an answer. The question was accordingly ordered to stand down. Oral Questions: Second Round and Supplementary Questions Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 10 April 2026 AI summary On behalf of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Bimal Rathnayake presented the Committee’s report on regulations issued under the National Transport Commission Act, No. 37 of 1991, as published in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2471/68 of 17 January 2026. The report was ordered to lie upon the Table. Papers Presented and Committee Reports Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 10 April 2026 AI summary On behalf of the Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Bimal Rathnayake presented the 2023 Annual Report of Seemasahitha Lanka Sugar (Private) Company. He proposed referring the report to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and International Relations, and the House agreed. Papers Presented and Committee Reports Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 10 April 2026 AI summary The Minister presented the 2023 Annual Report of the Presidential Secretariat to Parliament. He proposed that it be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development, and the House agreed. Papers Presented and Committee Reports Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 9 April 2026 AI summary Moved that Parliament be adjourned. Adjournment Debate: Easter Sunday Attack of 21 April 2019 Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 9 April 2026 AI summary Moved, on behalf of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, for Parliament to approve a Presidential Proclamation under Section 2 of the Essential Public Services Act, No. 61 of 1979. The Proclamation, published in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2481/30 of 28 March 2026 and laid before Parliament on 7 April 2026, was approved by the House. Debate on Regulations under Defence Acts and Extension of State of Emergency Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 9 April 2026 AI summary Moved approval of Defence Ministry regulations under the Navy Act and Air Force Act, both published in Gazette Extraordinary Nos. 2423/35 and 2423/36 of 15 February 2025 and laid before Parliament on 17 March 2026; both motions were agreed to. He also moved approval of a Presidential Proclamation under the Public Security Ordinance bringing Part II of the Ordinance into operation islandwide from 28 March 2026, after which the question was proposed. Debate on Regulations under Defence Acts and Extension of State of Emergency Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 8 April 2026 AI summary Minister Bimal Rathnayake said the Adjournment Debate was intended to inform the public about the Government’s response to an external global war-related shock, including the President’s Rs. 100 billion relief package. He argued that the crisis was not domestically created and that the Government had to manage impacts on fuel, exports, banking, fertilizer imports, the Yala season and other sectors. He stated that from 28 February the President held discussions with exporters, banks, the Central Bank and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, followed by measures such as a moderate fuel price increase on 9 March, introduction of the QR code system on 15 March to reduce consumption, and the appointment of Cabinet committees. Adjournment Debate: Mitigate the Impact of Middle Eastern War on Sri Lanka's Economy Foreign AffairsCost of Living Read →
  • 7 April 2026 AI summary Moved approval of the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation’s 2018 Annual Report, including the Auditor General’s observations, under Section 30(1) of the State Industrial Corporations Act, No. 49 of 1957. He noted that the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Water and Marine Resources had considered the report on 09.09.2025 and presented it to Parliament on 11.09.2025, after which the motion was agreed to. Papers: Ceylon Fisheries Corporation Annual Report Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 April 2026 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake sought permission to correct linguistic, typographical, grammatical and numbering errors in the revised Standing Orders of Parliament, and to make any consequential amendments arising from those corrections. Debate: Amendment of Standing Orders 119(4) and 120(4) and Committee Stage Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 April 2026 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake moved an amendment to Standing Order 120(4), proposing the insertion of a new paragraph immediately after its first existing paragraph. The proposed text was as set out in the day’s Order Paper. Debate: Amendment of Standing Orders 119(4) and 120(4) and Committee Stage Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 April 2026 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake moved an amendment to Standing Order 119(4), proposing that a new paragraph listed in the day’s Order Paper be inserted immediately after the first paragraph of the existing provision. Debate: Amendment of Standing Orders 119(4) and 120(4) and Committee Stage Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 April 2026 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake supported the proposed amendments to the Standing Orders, arguing that they would strengthen parliamentary procedure and better uphold the public mandate. He emphasized that the Auditor General and her team’s investigations should lead to tangible outcomes rather than only public attention. Debate: Amendment of Standing Orders 119(4) and 120(4) and Committee Stage Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 April 2026 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake supported amendments to the Standing Orders intended to make COPE and COPA findings on serious fraud or corruption more effective by allowing Parliament, through a motion, to decide on referrals to the Attorney General. He said these committees rely heavily on the Auditor General and parliamentary staff because they lack investigative arms, and argued that corruption and negligence also involve some public officers, not only politicians. He added that earlier attempts to introduce such a process were blocked, and clarified that remarks by Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena concerned continuing theft by some CTB bus conductors and drivers, not allegations against the current SLTB Chairman. Debate: Amendment of Standing Orders 119(4) and 120(4) and Committee Stage Corruption & Governance ReformParliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 April 2026 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake addressed reports of a Rs. 13.2 billion fraud at a Sri Lankan bank, stating that the President is intervening, depositors are not affected, and the bank is not at risk of collapse due to capital requirements and regulatory oversight. He said any wrongdoing by bank owners, senior officers, or employees should be dealt with through appropriate Central Bank and audit interventions. He also criticized foreign media reports suggesting fuel shortages or economic paralysis, arguing that fuel supply has been maintained despite global pressures and that the economy is growing at 5.2 percent. Debate: Amendment of Standing Orders 119(4) and 120(4) and Committee Stage Public FinanceCorruption & Governance ReformLaw & Order Read →
  • 7 April 2026 AI summary A motion was moved for Parliament to approve amendments to Standing Orders 119(4) and 120(4) based on the Committee on Standing Orders report presented on 20 February 2026. The proposed amendments would allow the Committee on Public Accounts and the Committee on Public Enterprises, after tabling reports and with Parliament’s approval, to refer findings of serious financial fraud, bribery or corruption directly to the Bribery Commission or the Inspector-General of Police for action. Debate: Amendment of Standing Orders 119(4) and 120(4) and Committee Stage Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 April 2026 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake moved a procedural motion to vary the sitting hours of Parliament for the day, setting sessions from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 1.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., notwithstanding Standing Order 8. The motion also provided that the Speaker adjourn Parliament at 5.30 p.m., and it was agreed to. Debate: Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment) Bill - Second Reading and Related Orders (Chair Change - Introduction) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 April 2026 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake questioned whether the preceding remarks were made by “AI Sajith Premadasa” or the real Sajith Premadasa, using a brief interjection to challenge or mock the authenticity of the statement. Oral Question: SriLankan Airlines - A330-200 Aircraft Acquisition and Fertilizer Distribution Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 April 2026 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake responded to an Opposition claim that the Auditor-General’s special audit report on coal procurement had not been provided or tabled. Citing Standing Order 26, he explained that papers are presented through the prescribed procedure, recorded in the Minutes, and printed only where the required motion is moved. He stated that the Speaker had presented the report on the Lanka Coal Company procurement process and the 2025/2026 coal season, after which he moved that it be printed, so there had been no obstruction to its printing. Oral Question: Aswesuma Programme - Appeals and Objections Parliamentary Procedure Read →