Renaming Bristol Street as Sir Razik Fareed Mawatha:

Sir Razik Fareed common man's leader - Omar Kamil

Colombo Municipal Council Special Commissioner Omar Kamil speaking at a ceremony to rename Bristol Street as Sir Razik Fareed Mawatha, said Sir Razik Fareed worked for over five decades for the uplift of the community.

Sir Razik Fareed was instrumental in inaugurating the Moor's Islamic Cultural Home in 1944, Kamil said.

"Sir Razik was born in 1893 and was educated at Royal College.

"He was involved in import business for a short period and entered politics through the Colombo Municipal Council in 1930 and was actively involved in politics for around 50 years being a Senator, parliamentarian, Deputy Speaker and minister and ended his public life as a diplomat serving as Sri Lanka's High Commissioner in Pakistan," Kamil said.

"Sir Razik Fareed was the leader of common man. He could foresee many things and today we realize what he foresaw before the independence of our Motherland is made true.

He had donated many of his and Lady Fareed's lands for the benefit of others which included the land where Muslim Ladies College is and the Lady Fareed Home for Elders is located in Makola," Kamil said.

"The Moors' Islamic Cultural Home was inaugurated in 1944 and Sir Razik Fareed was the founder President of this institution and remained as the President until his demise in 1984.

He was instrumental in obtaining this land from the State in 1961 and put up this magnificent building where we are commemorating our great leader," he said.

"This event is one of the momentous occasion for all of us at the MICH. The whole Muslim community sincerely appreciate the gesture of the Government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in renaming this important road which houses the MICH Headquarters," Kamil said.