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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
  • 19 March 2026 AI summary Moved that the report be printed. The House agreed to the motion and ordered that the report be printed. Papers and Petitions Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 17 March 2026 AI summary Minister Bimal Rathnayake said CIABOC had strengthened Sri Lanka’s anti-corruption standing and that the proposed remuneration and service-condition measures would give it greater recruitment capacity and operational independence, including plans for district-level offices. He defended the Government’s QR fuel measures as a response to war-related global disruption rather than bankruptcy, contrasting it with the previous crisis and stating that fuel supply, harvesting activities, and electricity generation were being managed without a need for power cuts. He also referred to the Government’s handling of an incident involving Iranian vessels, saying Sri Lanka acted in line with international law and humanitarian obligations while avoiding alignment with parties to the conflict. Continuation of Debate: CIABOC Remuneration and Service Conditions Corruption & Governance ReformPublic FinanceSecurity & Defence Read →
  • 17 March 2026 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake moved, with leave of the House and in line with the Business Committee’s notification, that Parliament adjourn at the end of the day’s sitting until 9.30 a.m. on Thursday, 19 March 2026. The motion was put to the House and agreed to, after which proceedings moved to the next speaker. Continuation of Debate: CIABOC Remuneration and Service Conditions Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 17 March 2026 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake informed the House that Deputy Minister Hon. Eranga Chiranthana would respond to Hon. Chamara Sampath’s question regarding the QR code during the morning sitting. Oral Answers to Questions (Q.1 to Q.7 and Standing Order 27(2) questions) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 17 March 2026 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake informed the House that the Parliamentary Business Committee would meet at 11.45 a.m. and said the Leader of the Opposition’s proposal could be discussed at that meeting. Committee Reports and Petitions Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 17 March 2026 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake presented the 2023 Annual Report of the State Development and Design Corporation. He moved that it be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development, and the motion was agreed to. Tabling of Reports and Papers Parliamentary ProcedureInfrastructure Read →
  • 6 March 2026 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake moved to suspend Standing Order 27 in relation to items 81 and 82 under Main Business on the day’s Order Paper. The motion was put to the House and agreed to. Government Business Motion Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 6 March 2026 AI summary Moved that Government Business be taken as the Order of the Day. The motion was put to the House and agreed to. Government Business Motion Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 6 March 2026 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake objected to an allegation made by Nalin Bandara Jayamaha against a Member of Parliament and requested the Speaker to examine the matter. He cautioned against intemperate remarks and emphasized that COPE, PAC, and other committee chairs, as Members of Parliament, are responsible for their statements but cannot have their parliamentary privileges curtailed by another member. Points of Order and Procedural Matters Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 6 March 2026 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake suggested that the matter be taken up for discussion at the Parliamentary Business Committee. Ministry Statements Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 6 March 2026 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake responded to a Standing Order 27(2) question by stating that the 2024 Gazette declaring 13 Jaffna District local authority areas as Urban Development Authority areas will not be revoked. He said planning powers for buildings under 9,000 square feet remain with local authorities, while larger projects are handled by the UDA through an online approval system provided free of charge and supported by trained officials. He argued the designation supports the Greater Jaffna Development Plan under the National Physical Plan, noting consultations with Jaffna MPs and district bodies, and said additional Budget allocations include Rs. 250 million for Jaffna and Chavakachcheri development and flood mitigation studies. Ministry Statements Land & HousingInfrastructurePublic Finance Read →
  • 6 March 2026 AI summary The Ministry of Agriculture indicated that additional time is required to provide the requested answer. Standing Order 27(2) Questions and Ministry Statements Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 6 March 2026 AI summary On behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation, Bimal Rathnayake requested a two-week extension to answer the Question. The Question was ordered to stand down. Oral Question: Small and Medium-Scale Factories Started or Closed Down in 2025 (Q.1177/2025) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 6 March 2026 AI summary Bimal Rathnayake moved that the COPE and COPA reports presented to Parliament be printed, which was agreed to and ordered. He noted that many such reports are being tabled and said the Parliamentary Business Committee would propose allocating one or two full days for a debate so the public can be informed of their contents. Tabling of Reports Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 6 March 2026 AI summary On behalf of the Minister of Trade, Food Security and Cooperative Development, Bimal Rathnayake presented annual reports of the Lalith Athulathmudali Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund, the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board, and the National Intellectual Property Office. He moved that the reports be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Sustainable Resources, and the House agreed. Tabling of Reports Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 5 March 2026 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake condemned the harassment and abuse of women Members of Parliament, particularly by Opposition MPs and through cyberbullying, and argued that such conduct discourages women and girls from entering politics. Citing Standing Orders 77, 81 and 82 on discipline and disorder in the House, he requested action from the Chair and parliamentary staff to examine complaints and determine whether any previous Parliament had seen comparable insults toward women MPs. He said Parliament’s response was necessary not only to protect the 22 women MPs but also to signal protection and respect for women more broadly, including in workplaces and public life. Adjournment: National Care Policy and International Women's Day Parliamentary ProcedureWomen & Children Read →
  • 5 March 2026 AI summary The Minister argued that support for women in politics is needed because social structures create vulnerabilities, particularly through online and media harassment targeting women MPs. He cited Asia-Pacific data that 85 percent of women MPs face such harassment and said Parliament should lead efforts to protect and strengthen women who enter public life. He noted that the number of women MPs has doubled and said his office had requested a report on the level of harassment faced by women MPs within Parliament. Adjournment: National Care Policy and International Women's Day Women & ChildrenParliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 5 March 2026 AI summary During an Adjournment debate marking International Women’s Day, Bimal Rathnayake argued that social, economic and institutional structures continue to limit women’s advancement despite their major contribution to Sri Lanka’s economy, including foreign exchange earnings. He highlighted unpaid domestic and care work as a key barrier affecting even educated and professional women, and noted declining female representation at senior levels in universities, health administration and other institutions. He called for identifying and removing administrative, institutional and attitudinal barriers, including through measures such as low-interest credit and support for women’s entrepreneurship, and also referred to the impact of conflict in the Middle East on women’s vulnerability globally. Adjournment: National Care Policy and International Women's Day Parliamentary ProcedureEducationWomen & Children Read →
  • 19 February 2026 AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake asked the Speaker to enforce the guidelines approved on 18 November for Questions under Standing Order 27(2). He requested that Parliamentary staff and Ministry Secretaries be instructed to ensure such answers are prepared for delivery within five minutes, noting that a Deputy Minister’s response that day had exceeded the expected duration. Statement and Procedural: Legal Basis of Financial Bankruptcy Declaration and Standing Order Debate Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 19 February 2026 AI summary The Minister acknowledged the importance of COPE’s functions and disclosures, stating that the Government or COPE is prepared to seek an appropriate parliamentary debate on the matters raised at a suitable time. He then moved that the report be printed, which was agreed to by the House. Committee Report: 17th Report of the Committee on Public Enterprises Parliamentary Procedure Read →