Bimal Rathnayake

{{short description|Sri Lankan minister and Leader of the House of Sri Lankan Parliament}}

{{short description|Sri Lankan politician}}

{{BLP sources|date=March 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}

{{EngvarB|date=September 2020}}

{{Infobox MP

| honorific-prefix = Hon.

| name = Bimal Rathnayake

| native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|si|බිමල් රත්නායක}}}}

{{nobold|{{lang|ta|பிமல் ரத்நாயக்க}}}}

| honorific-suffix = MP

| image =

| office = Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation

| term_start = 18 November 2024

| term_end =

| president = Anura Kumara Dissanayake

| primeminister = Harini Amarasuriya

| deputy =

| predecessor = Vijitha Herath

| successor =

| office1 = Leader of the House

| term_start1 = 21 November 2024

| term_end1 =

| president1 = Anura Kumara Dissanayake

| primeminister1 = Harini Amarasuriya

| predecessor1 = Susil Premajayantha

| successor1 =

| constituency_MP2 = National List

| parliament2 = Sri Lanka

| term_start2 = 21 November 2024

| term_end2 =

| majority2 =

| predecessor2 =

| successor2 =

| term_start3 = 3 September 2015

| term_end3 = 3 March 2020

| constituency_MP4 = Kurunegala District

| parliament4 = Sri Lanka

| majority4 =

| predecessor4 =

| successor4 =

| term_start4 = 2001

| term_end4 = 2010

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|3|28|df=y}}

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality =

| spouse = Samanmalee Gunasinghe

| party = Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna

| otherparty = National People's Power

| relations =

| children =

| residence =

| alma_mater =

| occupation =

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| religion =

| signature =

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| footnotes =

}}

Bimal Rathnayake is a Sri Lankan politician who serves as the Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House since November 2024. A longstanding member of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Rathnayake is member of the JVP Politburo, a national executive member of National People's Power (NPP) and a member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka for the National List.{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.lk/en/members-of-parliament/directory-of-past-members/viewMember/161|title=Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, M.P.|work=Directory of Past members|publisher=Parliament of Sri Lanka|access-date=8 September 2022}}[http://www.lankatruth.com/index.php/news/local-news/6086-bimal-of-jvp-has-a-discussion-with-korean-labor-party Bimal had discussions with Korean Labour Party.] lankatruth.com 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2011.{{cite web | title=Academics, Tamils and an extremist Sinhala nationalist | website=Tamil Guardian | date=20 November 2024 | url=https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/academics-tamils-and-extremist-sinhala-nationalist-meet-sri-lankas-new-cabinet | access-date=20 November 2024}}

He studied at Tangalle Primary College, Ananda College, Colombo and was selected to study civil engineering at the University of Moratuwa in 1993, however did not complete his degree.{{cite news |title=Get to know the main contenders’ core teams |url=https://www.sundaytimes.lk/240915/news/get-to-know-the-main-contenders-core-teams-571471.html |access-date=15 February 2025 |publisher=Sunday Times}} His academic qualifications have been listed as BSc. Engineering Undergraduate in parliament.{{cite web |title=The Parliament of Sri Lanka. |url=https://beta.parliament.lk/en/members-of-parliament/mp-profile/161 |website=beta.parliament.lk}}

Rathnayake was first elected to parliament from Kurunagala in 2001 and served till 2010, when he lost his seat and had served as the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation from 2004 to 2005 under President Kumaratunga’s government. He was appointed to parliament in 2015 after Sarath Chandrasiri Mayadunne todays into his term and served till 2000, when he again lost his seat. He was the JVP’s National Organiser He was the organiser of the Socialist Youth Union and a member of the Central Committee of the JVP.{{cite news |title=Get to know the main contenders’ core teams |url=https://www.sundaytimes.lk/240915/news/get-to-know-the-main-contenders-core-teams-571471.html |access-date=15 February 2025 |publisher=Sunday Times}}{{cite web |title=JVP nominates Bimal Rathnayake from National List |url=https://www.ft.lk/News/jvp-nominates-bimal-rathnayake-from-national-list/56-466663}}

His wife, Samanmalee Gunasinghe, is a Central Committee member of the JVP and was elected in the 2024 Sri Lankan parliamentary election from Colombo from the NPP, while Rathnayake was elected as the first NPP national list candidate.