Al-haj M. Abdul Bakeer Markar's birth anniversary falls on Septemer 12 :

The father of Imthiaz that I knew

Mano Wijeyeratne, MP

Beruwela Electorate: One day in 1976, as a School Boy I too participated at an election rally in the Beruwela Electorate with my father. Though he was still new to politics, my father was one of the Chief Speakers at the rally, being the Diyawadana Nilame and the Organiser for Dedigama.

My father had been assigned with the task of speaking on behalf of the Sinhala Buddhist people in the Beruwela Electorate. Having been a civil servant, my father found the election platform alien to him.

Even though he made his speech drawing upon his experience and the skill as an orator, the speech made by Bakeer Markar in his inimitable manner on the history of Sinhala Buddhist people was so inspiring that it was praised by all those present, though a Muslim by birth Bakeer Markar's knowledge of Sinhala Buddhists seemed to be something he was born with. As a youth at that time I considered it a great privilege to have seen him than to have spoken to him.

The next time I met him was in 1977, when having won the General Elections, he assumed duties as the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament on its first Sitting Day.

I never forgot to wish him well, who entered Parliament along with my father. He in response to my greeting said, patting my back, that as a son of a great father the Chamber of the House of Parliament was the ideal place for me.

Thereafter my father was invited to be the Chief Guest of a function held to open some school buildings in he Beruwela Division. But since he was to attend a meeting of UNESCO in Paris he intimated his inability to attend the function and requested to have some other guest instead.

This request was accepted and he in turn requested to have me as the Chief Guest. My father was surprised at this request and asked him. "Mr. Deputy Speaker, is a young lad like him suitable for such an occasion," Promptly came his reply. "If I can't have Nissanka - the Senior, I'll be happy with the Junior Nissanka."

I was compelled will-nilly to attend the function and to make it worse I was invited to make a speech too! Despite my repeated pleading that, I was not upto the standard to make a public speech he never listened to me and insisted that I make a speech.

Even though stage fear was having a hard grip on me I couldn't help making a speech. His pestering ended with him telling me that he wanted to open the door for me to embark upon a long political journey like my father.

Thanks to the guidance and advice given by him, his own son Imthiaz Bakeer Markar and I were able to make our way to Parliament together. Bakeer Markar is a politician of rare breed. Youngsters were his children and adults were his brothers and sisters. Though a Muslim by birth, he respected all other religions.

He had only one political principle. Unlike the politicians of today, those of the yesteryear did not make money out of politics. Later I was more or less his own son and his children were my brothers and sisters.

When Bakeer Markar was residing at the Speaker's Official residence, the Manager of which was Sunil Dahanayake, a school friend of mine.

Even today Sunil is the Chief Manager of Mumtaz Mahal. I was not only a frequent visitor to his quarters but also a resident for some time. We used to address Sunil as "Sunna" and the children of the Speaker also addressed him so.

On some days we entered through Sunil's quarters and came out through the main entrance of Mumtaz Mahal.

At a time when we are grappling with the ethnic conflict and are finding solutions to it, the absence of politicians of the calibre of Bakeer Markar is felt strongly.

In addition being a prominent lawyer, he was privileged with acquaintances with freedom fighters in our political arena. He was equally fluent in all three languages and our Party has lost a Muslim leader respected by all communities. The only legacy he left behind for us is his son Imthiaz Bakeer Markar.

The son Bakeer Markar, my dear brother Imthiaz, the biggest respect you can pay to your great father is to be able to be a pioneer in the task of uniting all communities in the country breaking the stoic silence that you are maintaining.

May you gain the necessary strengths and courage by the grace of the Almighty Allah to embark on this mission.

Subject to decay is the body

The name of the goodwill not die