Deshamanya

Deshamanya

Deshamanya is the second highest Sri Lankan national honour awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a civil honour.It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardee's name....

 Mohammed Abdul Bakeer Markar (May 12, 1917 - September 10, 1997) was the first Member of Parliament to represent Beruwala

Beruwala

Beruwala, is a small resort town in the south western coastal belt of Sri Lanka. The name Beruwala is derived from the Sinhalese word for the place where the sail is lowered. It marks the spot for the first Muslim settlement on the island, established by Arab traders around the 8th century AD...

 from March 1960 to April 1960, the Member of Parliament for Beruwala from April 1965 to March 1970, the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament from August 4, 1977 to September 7, 1978, the Speaker

Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka the Speaker of the Parliament is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the Parliament of Sri Lanka. The Speaker fulfills a number of important functions in relation to the operation the House, which is based upon the British Westminster Parliamentary system.The...

 of the Parliament of Sri Lanka

Parliament of Sri Lanka

The Parliament of Sri Lanka is the 225-member unicameral legislature of Sri Lanka. The members of Parliament are elected by proportional representation for six-year terms, with universal suffrage. Parliament reserves the power to make all laws...

 from September 21, 1978 to August 30, 1983, the Cabinet Minister Without Portfolio from 1983 to 1988 and the Governor of the Southern Province of Sri Lanka from June 13, 1988 to December 1993.

Early life

Bakeer Markar was born on 12 May 1917 at Hakeem Villa, Maradana

Maradana

Maradana is a suburb of Colombo city, Sri Lanka. Maradana is the site of Maradana Railway Station, one of the primary railway hubs in the country, serving intercity rail and commuter rail. Maradana also has many railway yards and running sheds...

, Beruwala as the son of the famous businessman and Ayurvedic physician, late Hamkeem Alia Marikar Mohamed Marikar and of Mrs. Rahila Umma Marikar.

Education

He was educated both at St. Sebastian's School of Hultsdorf

Hultsdorf

Hultsdorf is a suburb in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is part of the postal area known as Colombo 12. It has been known historically as Hulffsdorp, Hulfsdorp, Hulftsdorp, Hulsdorp, Hulstsdorp and Hülffsdorf.-History:...

, Colombo 12 and Zahira College of Colombo 10. At Zahira he came under the influence of the late Dr. T.B. Jayah, one of Sri Lanka's best known educationists and veteran politician. At Zahira Bakeer Markar was the editor of the College magazine and was a convincing speaker and an able debator, fluent in all three languages. In 1940 he joined the Colombo Law College and passed out as a Proctor taking his oaths in 1950.

Social service

While yet a law student, Mr. Markar became the Speaker of the All Ceylon Muslim League Senate and President of the All Ceylon Muslim Students Movement.One of Alhaj Bakeer Markar's greatest achievements was establishing the 'All Ceylon Union of Muslim League Youth Fronts. This is the coordinating body and leading Muslim youth organisation representing Muslim youths all parts of Sri Lanka. He was the founder president of this union. During his lifetime he formed more than 500 Muslim youth fronts spread throughout the island. He devoted most of his valuable time to establishing this movement, a unique one and he visited almost every Muslim village and familiarized himself with Muslim youths to achieve his goal.