Begum Para, Canada

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Begum Para (disambiguation).
Bangladeshi people in Canada
Total population
100,000
Regions with significant populations
Greater Toronto, Greater Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa
Languages
Religion
  • Islam
  • Hinduism
  • Buddhism
  • Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Bangladeshi diaspora, Indo-Canadians, Pakistani Canadians, Asian Canadians

Begum Para (Bengali: বেগম পাড়া) is the luxurious residential area for the Bangladeshi immigrants in Toronto, Canada.[1][2] The foreign ministry of Bangladesh found the connection of money launderers to the Begum Para.[3][4] Most of them are Bangladeshi government officials, followed by politicians and businessmen.[5] In Begum Para, wives and children of Bangladeshi extra-opulent people live a luxurious life with the illegal money sent by their husbands.[6][7] Retiring from their job, the guys go to their Begums (wives) in Canada.[8] For this reason, these places have been named Begum Para.[9][10][11]

History[]

When the Begum Para was formed is unclear. Mass emigration from Bangladesh to Canada started in 2006.[1] The Bangla term Begum Para has originally derived from the Urdu Begumpura, that means colony of wives in the Greater Toronto Area.[12][13][14] According to the Canadian government statistics, the number of Bangladeshi immigrants was 33,230 until 2006.[15] Immigration Canada informed that from 2015 to 2019, 16,325 Bangladeshi citizens got permanent residentship to Canada.[16][17] Statistics Canada (2020) reports that 100,000 Bangladeshis live in Canada.[18] Former Bangladeshi Ambassador M Sirajul Islam told a story in Britain's Independent newspaper where he mentioned the area of Toronto, Canada as 'Begum Para' by the local Bangladeshis.[19]

Controversy[]

Begum Para of Toronto in Canada is an open secret and has become a hot cake of political discussions as many Bangladeshis have bought luxurious residences in Begum Para and spending millions laundered from Bangladesh.[3][20][21] The Anti-Corruption Commission asked the government to provide a list of its officials who bought homes in Begum Para.[22][23][24] The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit informed to the court that they had requested the financial intelligence unit of Canada to provide the information of all Bangladeshi persons who might have laundered money from Bangladesh to Canada in the response of Begum Para controversy.[2] In a press briefing, Foreign Minister Abulkalam Abdul Momen said, “Our general idea is that politicians live there. However, it is found that most of them are the government officials. Retired or still employed, they bought a house. Their sons and daughters live in big houses. Some of our businessmen have bought houses there as well.”[25][26] It is reported that the fugitive PK Haldar has also settled in Begum Para after smuggling 3600 crore BDT.[9][8][27]

According to Global Financial Integrity, a Washington-based research firm, around US$ 6 billion was smuggled out of Bangladesh in 2015 through trade manipulation.[28][29] Referring to money laundering, bank and stock market looting, Hussain Muhammad Ershad in his 2014 budget speech said, "Money is being smuggled into Malaysia and Canada. Some people are setting their home there. They have built Begum Para in Canada. Where did they get so much money?"[30]

See also[]

  • Bangladeshi Canadians
  • Bangladesh-Canada relations

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Spotlight on 'Begum Para'". The Financial Express (Bangladesh). November 27, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Govt, ACC get more time to give details on Begum Para dwellers". New Age (Bangladesh). 17 Dec 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b "ACC seeks details of Bangladesh public servants' houses in Toronto's Begum Para". Dhaka Tribune. November 23, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Govt officials' house in Canada's Begum Para: ACC asks for details". The Daily Observer (Bangladesh). Nov 23, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Bangladesh Targets Fugitives and Money Launderers in Canada". Yahoo! News. December 22, 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  6. ^ "দেশ থেকে কোটি কোটি টাকা পাচার হচ্ছে কানাডায়!". The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). Jan 17, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Foreign mission asked to collect info". New Age (Bangladesh). 15 Dec 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  8. ^ a b "'বেগম পাড়ায়' অবসর কাটাতে যান বাংলাদেশি 'সাহেবরা'". Somoy TV (in Bengali). Nov 21, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  9. ^ a b "'Begum Para' in Canada: Safe home for Bangladeshi smugglers". shiningbd.com. Nov 22, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  10. ^ "বছরের শেষে তুমুল আলোচনায় 'বেগম পাড়া'". Jagonews24.com (in Bengali). Dec 31, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  11. ^ "কানাডায় বাংলাদেশের অর্থপাচারকারী বিত্তশালীদের 'বেগমপাড়া' আসলে কোথায়?". BBC Bangla (in Bengali). Feb 11, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Canada's "Begum Para" is a reversal delusion for B'desh". ourtimebd.com. 25 Jan 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  13. ^ "'A place where ladies dwell'". The Globe and Mail. October 28, 2006. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  14. ^ "'Colony of wives' thrives in Mississauga". Toronto Star. May 28, 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  15. ^ "Bangladesh authority collecting information on 'Begum Para' property owners in Toronto". weeklyblitz.net. October 10, 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  16. ^ "Bangladesh Targets Fugitives and Money Launderers in Canada". MSN. 22 Dec 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  17. ^ "Bangladesh Targets Fugitives and Money Launderers in Canada". newcanadianmedia.ca. 22 Dec 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  18. ^ Canada, Government of Canada, Statistics. "2011 National Household Survey: Data tables – Ethnic Origin (264), Single and Multiple Ethnic Origin Responses (3), Generation Status (4), Age Groups (10) and Sex (3) for the Population in Private Households of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2011 National Household Survey". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  19. ^ "বেগম পাড়ার সাহেব ও দেশ বিক্রিরকচ্ছপেরা". The Daily Prothom Alo (in Bengali). May 26, 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  20. ^ "'Begum Para' In Canada: Mostly govt officials bought houses". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). November 21, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  21. ^ "অর্থ পাচারকারীরা দেশ ও জাতির শত্রু: হাইকোর্ট". Channel i (in Bengali). 22 Nov 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  22. ^ "'Begum Para' in Canada: ACC seeks a list of people who bought homes". The Daily Star. Nov 24, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  23. ^ "'Begum Para' in Canada: ACC seeks a list of Bangladeshi who bought homes in Toronto". southasiamonitor.org. Nov 24, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  24. ^ "Government officials' house in Canada's Begum Para: ACC asks for details". United News of Bangladesh. Nov 23, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  25. ^ "কানাডার বেগম পাড়ার বাড়ি ক্রেতাদের তালিকার খোঁজে দুদক". The Daily Star (in Bengali). Nov 24, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  26. ^ "বেগম পাড়ার সাহেবরা". banglatribune.com (in Bengali). Nov 25, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  27. ^ "টাকা বিদেশে নেয় কারা". Daily Inqilab (in Bengali). 23 Nov 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  28. ^ "বেগমপাড়া সেকেন্ড হোম তিন ব্যাংক ও দুই কোম্পানির অর্থ লুণ্ঠন সমাচার". Daily Inqilab (in Bengali). 8 Dec 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  29. ^ "Ghosts of 'Begumpara' and the future of Bangladesh". The Daily Prothom Alo. 22 Nov 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  30. ^ "টরন্টোর বেগম পাড়ায় মন ভালো নেই বেগমদের". purboposhchim (in Bengali). 22 Jan 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
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