Rohitha Bogollagama
Encyclopedia
Chandrasekera Rohitha Bandara Bogollagama (born 6 August 1954) (known as Rohitha Bogollagama) is a former Sri Lanka
n politician and was the Minister of Foreign Affairs
from 28 January 2007 until he was defeated in the General Elections
held on 08th of April 2010, losing his seat in parliament. He had a long career in law running from 1976 to 1999, before being elected to the Sri Lankan parliament
in 2000.
, to Chandrasekera Malala Banda Bogollagama and Vinitha Bogollagama (née Senerath), he is one of five children. Bogollagama attended Ananda College
in Colombo and later the Sri Lanka Law College
, passing out in 1976. He was called to the Bar
and enrolled as Attorney-at-Law by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
in October 1976.
from 1991 to 1999. He was also Chairman of the Sri Lanka Cement Corporation, and Chairman and Director General of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka.
, Bogollagama was elected to parliament in 2000 for Kurunegala District
, and served the Parliamentary Consultative Committees on Finance, Foreign Affairs, Defence, Industrial Development & Investment Promotion, and Power & Energy. On 12 December 2001, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed him Minister of Industries. As minister he initiated the "Yuga Dekma", a large industrial fair, in 2002. In 2004 president Chandrika Kumaratunga
dissolved parliament and removed non-cabinet ministers on 12 February.
While in opposition in 2004, he was appointed by a unanimous decision to serve as the Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), an oversight committee of parliament responsible for accountability of public enterprises.
Bogollagama switched political allegiance on 18 November 2004, siding with the United People's Freedom Alliance
; the President swore him in as the Cabinet Minister of Advanced Technology and National Enterprise Development on the same day.
He became the Minister of Enterprise and Development on 23 November 2005. As Minister, he argued in favour of returning Sri Lanka to GMT +05:30 time, which was the official time before 1996. He represented the government of Sri Lanka at two rounds of peace talks with the LTTE at Geneva
in 2006.
He was defeated in the General Elections
held on 8 April 2010, losing his seat in parliament and was not reappointed the cabinet.
, Singapore and Dilshani Bogollagama a Medical student at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences
, New Delhi, India.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n politician and was the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is an appointment in the Cabinet of Sri Lanka. The post was created in 1978 when the former Ministry of External Affairs and Defence was separated into two ministries...
from 28 January 2007 until he was defeated in the General Elections
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2010
The 2010 Sri Lankan parliamentary election was held on April 8 and April 20, 2010, to elect 225 members to Sri Lanka's 14th Parliament. 14,088,500 Sri Lankans were eligible to vote in the election at 11,102 polling stations...
held on 08th of April 2010, losing his seat in parliament. He had a long career in law running from 1976 to 1999, before being elected to the Sri Lankan parliament
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...
in 2000.
Early life
Born in Nikaweratiya, North Western ProvinceNorth Western Province, Sri Lanka
North Western Province is a province of Sri Lanka. The districts of Kurunegala and Puttalam formulate Wayamba. Its capital is Kurunegala, which has a population of 28,571. The province is known mainly for its numerous coconut plantations. Other main towns in this province are Chilaw and Puttalam...
, to Chandrasekera Malala Banda Bogollagama and Vinitha Bogollagama (née Senerath), he is one of five children. Bogollagama attended Ananda College
Ananda College
Ananda College , Colombo which is considered as the leading National school in Sri Lanka, was established on November 1, 1886, by the Buddhist Theosophical Society led by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott...
in Colombo and later the Sri Lanka Law College
Sri Lanka Law College
Sri Lanka Law College was established as the Ceylon Law College under the Council of Legal Education in 1874 in order to impart a formal legal education to those who wished to be lawyers in Ceylon...
, passing out in 1976. He was called to the Bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
and enrolled as Attorney-at-Law by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka is the highest court of the nation of Sri Lanka. The Supreme Court is the highest and final judicial instance of record and is empowered to exercise its powers, subject to the provisions of the Constitution. The Court has ultimate appellate jurisdiction in...
in October 1976.
Legal career
Bogollagama's career in law ran for nearly thirty years, and included serving as legal consultant to the Ceylon Fertiliser Corporation from 1985 to 1993, and legal advisor to the United States government-run Voice of AmericaVoice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
from 1991 to 1999. He was also Chairman of the Sri Lanka Cement Corporation, and Chairman and Director General of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka.
Political career
As a member of the United National PartyUnited National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
, Bogollagama was elected to parliament in 2000 for Kurunegala District
Kurunegala District
Kurunegala is a district in North Western Province, Sri Lanka. Its area is 4,771 km²....
, and served the Parliamentary Consultative Committees on Finance, Foreign Affairs, Defence, Industrial Development & Investment Promotion, and Power & Energy. On 12 December 2001, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed him Minister of Industries. As minister he initiated the "Yuga Dekma", a large industrial fair, in 2002. In 2004 president Chandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga born June 29, 1945) was the 4th Executive president of Sri Lanka, serving from November 12, 1994 to November 19, 2005. The daughter of two former Prime Ministers, she was also the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party until end of 2005...
dissolved parliament and removed non-cabinet ministers on 12 February.
While in opposition in 2004, he was appointed by a unanimous decision to serve as the Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), an oversight committee of parliament responsible for accountability of public enterprises.
Bogollagama switched political allegiance on 18 November 2004, siding with the United People's Freedom Alliance
United People's Freedom Alliance
The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:...
; the President swore him in as the Cabinet Minister of Advanced Technology and National Enterprise Development on the same day.
He became the Minister of Enterprise and Development on 23 November 2005. As Minister, he argued in favour of returning Sri Lanka to GMT +05:30 time, which was the official time before 1996. He represented the government of Sri Lanka at two rounds of peace talks with the LTTE at Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
in 2006.
He was defeated in the General Elections
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2010
The 2010 Sri Lankan parliamentary election was held on April 8 and April 20, 2010, to elect 225 members to Sri Lanka's 14th Parliament. 14,088,500 Sri Lankans were eligible to vote in the election at 11,102 polling stations...
held on 8 April 2010, losing his seat in parliament and was not reappointed the cabinet.
Family
Bogollagama is married to Deepthi Samarakone, they have children Dhakshitha a BBM graduate in Finance from the Singapore Management UniversitySingapore Management University
The Singapore Management University was officially incorporated on January 12, 2000, and was Singapore's first private university funded by the government...
, Singapore and Dilshani Bogollagama a Medical student at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
All India Institute of Medical Sciences is a premier medical college and teaching hospital based in New Delhi, India. The Institute operates autonomously under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare ....
, New Delhi, India.