- In commemoration of the 29th death anniversary of Deshamanya Alhaj M A Bakeer Markar
On this solemn occasion, as we commemorate the 29th death anniversary of late Deshamanya Alhaj Mohammed Abdul Bakeer Markar, we remember not merely a distinguished Speaker of Parliament, Governor, lawyer and statesman, but a distinguished son of Sri Lanka, a statesman of exceptional character, and a devoted servant of the Nation and its people.
Many leaders are remembered for the positions they held and the institutions they led. But the legacy of a truly great leader is measured not by titles or office, but by the values he embodied, the lives he touched, and the example he left for those who followed. Deshamanya Bakeer Markar was one such leader.
His life reflected humility, integrity, compassion and courage. Above all, he believed that the strength of Sri Lanka lay in its diversity and in the ability of its people to live together with dignity, mutual respect and a shared sense of belonging.
He believed firmly in the principle of “Unity in Diversity”—that our different ethnicities, religions, languages and cultural traditions should not divide us, but enrich the common identity we share as Sri Lankans. That was not merely an ideal he articulated. It was a principle by which he lived, led and served.
A life rooted in service
Born in Beruwala in 1917, Bakeer Markar grew up in a community where different faiths, languages and cultures lived side by side. His formative years at Zahira College played an important role in shaping his outlook and strengthening his lifelong commitment to education, public service and national unity.
His early career as a lawyer offered an early glimpse of the statesman he would become. He was known to provide free legal representation to destitute women seeking maintenance. Such was the respect for this practice that the Kalutara Bar later adopted a similar tradition of providing legal assistance to those unable to afford it.
For Bakeer Markar, justice was never simply an idea discussed in Parliament or argued in a courtroom. Justice had meaning only when it reached those who needed it most. He also remained remarkably accessible to ordinary people.
Even after rising to the highest offices of the State, he never allowed public office to create a distance between himself and the people he served. That, perhaps, is one of the most enduring lessons of his life: True leadership does not place a leader above the people; it brings the leader closer to the people.
A champion in unity in diversity
Perhaps the most enduring feature of Bakeer Markar's legacy was his steadfast commitment to unity in diversity. He understood that Sri Lanka's diversity was not a weakness to be managed, but a national strength to be protected and celebrated. For him, unity did not mean uniformity.
He did not believe that people should surrender their religious, linguistic or cultural identities in order to build a united Nation. Rather, he believed that these diverse identities could coexist with mutual respect under the greater and shared identity of being Sri Lankan.
As the representative of the multi-ethnic constituency of Beruwala, he knew from experience that lasting national progress could never be built upon communal divisions. In Parliament, he consistently upheld the equal dignity and rightful place of every community. He reminded the House that just as the Sinhalese and Muslims were integral to Sri Lanka, so too were the plantation Tamils and all other communities that formed the fabric of our Nation. This was the essence of his inclusive nationalism.
For Bakeer Markar, diversity was our inheritance, unity was our responsibility, and service to the Nation was our common duty. That message remains profoundly relevant to Sri Lanka today.
Distinguished parliamentary statesmanship
Bakeer Markar's parliamentary career was built upon the trust of people from different communities. That trust was demonstrated particularly clearly at the 1977 General Election, when he secured a decisive victory with 27,000 majority votes in Beruwala, despite Muslims being a numerical minority in the constituency. His tenure as Speaker holds a unique place in Sri Lanka's parliamentary history. He presided over the final sessions of the historic Parliament at Galle Face and subsequently became the first Speaker of the new Parliament at Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
As Speaker, he placed great importance on the dignity, independence and authority of Parliament. He upheld parliamentary traditions and sought to ensure that the institution remained worthy of the confidence placed in it by the people.
His conduct reflected a fundamental democratic principle: The Speaker belongs neither to the Government nor to the Opposition. The Speaker belongs to Parliament and must serve the institution with impartiality and integrity. That principle remains essential to the health, credibility and dignity of any democracy.
Service beyond Parliament
Bakeer Markar's commitment to public service did not end with his parliamentary career. He later served as a Cabinet Minister and, from 1988 to 1993, became the first Governor of the Southern Province. He also contributed to the development of tourism in Beruwala, recognizing its potential to generate employment, livelihoods and economic opportunities for local communities.
But his vision of service extended beyond the boundaries of Sri Lanka. Following the tragic aircraft disaster in Sri Lanka involving Indonesian Hajj pilgrims, he personally became involved in coordinating recovery efforts and assisting the bereaved families. His humanitarian intervention helped strengthen the bonds of friendship between Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Likewise, his role in establishing the Iraq–Sri Lanka Friendship Association reflected his broader conviction that friendship between Nations must ultimately be built upon human understanding, empathy and solidarity. For him, diplomacy was not merely about governments and official engagements. It was also about people, relationships and the bonds that connect communities across borders.
Empowering the youth
Bakeer Markar deeply understood that the future of a Nation depends on how we guide, empower and inspire its young people. As the founding President of the All Ceylon Union of Muslim League Youth Fronts, he created a national platform that brought young people together to serve their community and contribute to Nation-building.
It was conceived as an inclusive platform where one’s village, region, political affiliation or party colour would never be a barrier. Its purpose was to engage young people constructively, keep them away from the influence of extremism and negative social influences, and encourage them to become productive and responsible citizens.
He encouraged young people to identify the challenges and needs of their own communities, discuss them openly, and seek practical solutions through democratic participation, dialogue and collective action. In doing so, he sought to nurture a generation of young people with the confidence, discipline and sense of responsibility needed to become the responsible citizens and future leaders of our Nation. That was the essence of Bakeer Markar’s vision for youth leadership.
A personal reflection
On this occasion, I wish to share a personal reflection. The legacy of Deshamanya Bakeer Markar holds a special significance in my own life. My association with the All Ceylon Union of Muslim League Youth Fronts began several decades ago, shortly after completing my Advanced Level examinations.
Over nearly three decades of active involvement, including serving as its Senior Vice President, I had the opportunity to experience firsthand the values he championed—leadership, discipline, community service, inclusiveness, and the responsibility to build bridges rather than walls. Those formative experiences have remained a lasting influence throughout my journey.
Today, as I have the privilege of representing Sri Lanka in Ramallah as Ambassador to the State of Palestine, I find those early lessons particularly meaningful. My service in Palestine has further deepened my appreciation of Sri Lanka's longstanding solidarity with the Palestinian people—a solidarity grounded in our commitment to justice, human dignity, self-determination and peaceful coexistence.
In this context, the values embodied by Bakeer Markar—compassion for the vulnerable, respect for human dignity, and the building of bridges among peoples—remain as relevant to our international engagement as they were to his service to our own nation.
Carrying his legacy forward
My fellow Sri Lankans, twenty-nine years after his passing, the message of Bakeer Markar remains remarkably relevant. At a time when societies across the world are confronted by division, polarization and mistrust, we need leaders who can rise above narrow interests and remind us of what unites us. Bakeer Markar showed us that unity does not require us to be the same; it requires us to respect our differences and recognize what we share.
He demonstrated that one can remain deeply rooted in one's faith, culture and heritage while embracing every fellow citizen as an equal member of the national family. He showed us that diversity need not divide us. He showed us that public office is a responsibility, not a privilege. And he showed us that leadership is ultimately measured not by the power one holds, but by the lives one touches and the service one renders. Therefore, the finest tribute we can pay to his memory is not simply to recall his achievements, but to uphold the values by which he lived.
Let us work together for a Sri Lanka in which diversity is respected, justice is accessible, institutions are strengthened, integrity is valued, and every citizen—regardless of ethnicity, religion or language—feels that he or she has an equal stake in our Nation's future. Let us teach our children that being Sri Lankan is our shared bond, while our diverse traditions and identities are the colours that enrich our national fabric. And let us encourage our young people to see leadership not as a pathway to privilege, but as an opportunity to serve.
On this solemn anniversary, I pray that Almighty Allah grant Deshamanya Alhaj M. A. Bakeer Markar His forgiveness, accepts his devoted service to humanity, and grants him the highest place in Jannathul Firdaus. May his life and enduring legacy continue to inspire our Nation and future generations of Sri Lankans.
May the values he cherished, unity, justice, compassion, integrity and service—continue to guide our beloved Nation. And may the principle he so deeply believed in, Unity in Diversity, continue to remind us that our differences need not separate us, but can instead make our Nation stronger when bound together by mutual respect and a shared love for Sri Lanka. May Sri Lanka be blessed with lasting peace, harmony, unity and prosperity.
The writer is the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the State of Palestine
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The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication