Imthiaz Bakeer Markar

Imthiaz Bakeer Markar (Sinhala: ඉම්තියාස් බාකීර් මාකාර් (born 8 August 1953) is a Sri Lankan lawyer and politician. He is a Member of Parliament from the National List of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, he was a former Cabinet Minister of Media, Postal and Telecommunications from 2001 to 2004; State Minister of Housing from 1989 to 1993 and member of the parliament from the Kalutara District from 1989 to 2004. Bakeer Markar had served as the former Chairman of the National Media Centre and the former Vice President of the United National Party (UNP).[1][2][3][4]

Hon. Imthiaz Bakeer Markar MP
Chairman of the National Media Centre
In office 20 September 2016 – 26 October 2018
Minister of Media, Postal and Telecommunications
In office 2001–2004
State Minister of Housing
In office 1988–1993
Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament for Kalutara District
In office 1989–2004
Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament for National List
Incumbent
Assumed office 2020
Personal details
Born	8 August 1953 Beruwala, Ceylon
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Political party	Samagi Jana Balawegaya
Children	Asaf, Azam, Fadhil, Adhil, Insaf
Alma mater	Holy Cross College, Kalutara Zahira College, Gampola Ananda College University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka Law College
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Attorney-at-Law

Early life and education

Imthiaz Bakeer Markar was born in Beruwala on 8 August 1953, to Mohammed Abdul Bakeer Markar, who later served as the Parliamentary Speaker from 1978 to 1983 and the Governor of the Southern Province from 1988 to 1993 and his wife Sithy Kadija Muhammad Raffai.[5] His ancestry can be traced to Sheik Jamaluddeen-Al-Maghdoomi, Arab settler who settled down in Beruwala.[6] His grandfather Hakeem Alia Marikkar belonged to a family of local physicians, whose ancestors were local physicians.

He was educated at Holy Cross College, Kalutara, Zahira College, Gampola before completing his secondary education at Ananda College, Colombo. He graduated from the University of Kelaniya with a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication and thereafter he entered the Sri Lanka Law College and qualified as an Attorney-at-Law in 1981.

Political career

In 1981, he became the Deputy Chairman on the Kalutara District Development Council, a position he retained until he was elected to the Sri Lankan Parliament as the member for the Kalutara District in 1988.[7] He served as the Minister of State for Housing between 1989 and 1993[8] and as the Minister of Media,[9] Posts[10] and Telecommunication[11] in the Cabinet of the 12th Sri Lankan Parliament between 2001 and 2004. Markar did not contest the 2004 parliamentary elections.[12] He resigned from his posts in the United National Party in November 2019 and joined the newly formed Samagi Jana Balawegaya and was appointed to parliament from the National List in August 2020.

Family

Markar is married to Ummu Fareeda in 1981 and they have five children: Asaf, Azam, Fadhil, Adhil and Insaf.[13]

Works

• Imthiaz, Bakeer Markar (2008). Mage Hade Gasma (My Heartbeat) - Collection of Parliamentary Speeches. Buddhi Prakashakayo.
• Imthiaz Bakeer Markar (2009). Maa akamethiva siti JR. J.R. Jayawardena Centre.
• Imthiaz Bakeer Markar (2014). Deshapremeya Kadepatha - Biography of T.B. Jayah. Godage and Brothers.[14]

See also

• List of political families in Sri Lanka

References and external links

• Website of the Bakeer Markar Centre for National Unity
• Official Facebook Page of Imthiaz Bakeer Markar
• Book on T. B. Jayah
• Politicians Should Stop Representing Religions – Imthiaz Bakeer Markar
• "My Hearbeat" Speeches delivered by Imthiaz Bakeer Markar in Parliament
• Imthiaz Bakeer Markar on the truth, journalists – and what happened to Sirasa

Notes

1. "Imthiaz Bakeer Markar". Parliament of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
2. "UNP is not against raising loans for development - Imthiaz Bakeer Markar". Archived from the original on 2016-08-09. Retrieved 2015-01-04.
3. Imthiaz Bakeer Markar appointed National Media Centre Chairman. Daily News (Sri Lanka), Retrieved on 20 September 2016.
4. https://www.parliament.lk/en/members-of-parliament/directory-of-members/viewMember/145
5. http://www.wairooshi.com/group/first-ancestry/page/2/
6. Alhaj A. H. M. Azwer. "Historic Beruwela - the entry point of Arabs". rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
7. "2001 Parliamentary Elections" (PDF). Department of Elections. 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-08-09. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
8. "Housing Minister Premadasa meets Imtiaz Bakeer Markar". FT Daily. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
9. "Journalists granted full freedom under UNF Govt. - Media Minister". Daily News. 15 October 2003. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
10. "We are now entering an era of peace and prosperity - Minister Bakeer Markar". Daily News. 21 June 2002. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
11. "To coincide with Universal Postal Day : Programme to regularise communication services in Matale district". Daily News. 3 July 2003. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
12. Wijeyekoon, Jaliya (9 November 2014). "UNP is not against raising loans for development". Sunday Observer. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
13. http://www.wairooshi.com/group/first-ancestry/page/2/
14. "Book on T. B. Jayah". newslanka.net. Retrieved 28 January 2015.