Begum Para Scandal
A Prothom Alo article about 'Begum Para' on 22 November 2020

Begum Para (Bengali: বেগম পাড়া) is the colloquial name of a neighborhood in Toronto, Canada primarily populated by upper-class Bangladeshis. The area is connected to several money laundering scandals in Bangladesh. These scandals arose in 2019–2020, when it started coming to light in various newspapers and the foreign ministry of Bangladesh found the connection of money launderers to the Begum Para where various real estate assets were purchased in Canada with dollars looted out of Bangladesh.[1][2]

Most of the launderers are Bangladeshi government officials, followed by politicians and businessmen.[3] In Begum Para, wives and children of the Bangladeshi elite live a luxurious life with the illegal money sent by their husbands.[4][5] Retiring from their job, the guys go to their Begums (wives) in Canada.[6] For this reason, these places have been named Begum Para.[7][8][9]

History

Begum Para is a Bangla term, which is basically a big money laundering scandal in Bangladesh. However the term literally indicates a symbolic area located somewhere in Canada. It is not a formally or historically created area. Basically, this Bangla term is used by Bangladeshi people to convey a special meaning.[10] To the Bangladeshi people, media and legislative bodies, the term Begum Para refers to houses or places of residence purchased in Canada with smuggled dollars by money launderers.[11][12]

Although Begum Para is a derived form of Urdu word, but completely has a different meaning. The Bangla term Begum Para has originally derived from the Urdu Begumpura. Urdu Begumpura means colony of wives in the Greater Toronto Area whose husbands used to leave their wives in the area and go elsewhere in search of work.[13][14]

Location

Begum Para
Map of Scarborough, Canada

Even though Begum Para is a Bangladeshi scandal, but it originated somewhere in Canada. Former Bangladeshi Ambassador M Sirajul Islam told a story in Britain's Independent newspaper that an area of Toronto, Canada is called as 'Begum Para' by the Bangladeshis.[15] Since this is a symbolic area, no area officially renamed in Canada by this name. This Bangla term also includes properties purchased with laundered money in other Canadian cities outside of Toronto. However, based on information obtained by journalists, one area of Canada that can be specifically identified as Begum Para is Scarborough, because most Bangladeshi looters have purchased properties in this area.[16][17]

The Canadian government has so far tracked down 200 Bangladeshi looters but does not disclose information. As expatriates, the number is more than a thousand.[18][19] They also purchased assets in luxury high-rise condominiums in the Bellevue Square Park, the heart of Toronto in the vicinity of the CN Tower, the upscale homes of Richmond Hill, and elite areas of Mississauga and Markham adjacent to Toronto. Not only these, there are many other areas, which names have not yet been come to light.[12][20]

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 spent millions laundered from Bangladesh.[1][19][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.[25] 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.”[26][27] It is reported that the fugitive PK Haldar has also settled in Begum Para after smuggling 3600 crore BDT.[7][6][28]

According to Global Financial Integrity, a Washington-based research firm, around US$6 billion was smuggled out of Bangladesh in 2015 through trade manipulation.[29][30] 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?"[31]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "ACC seeks details of Bangladesh public servants' houses in Toronto's Begum Para". Dhaka Tribune. November 23, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  2. ↑ "Govt officials' house in Canada's Begum Para: ACC asks for details". The Daily Observer (Bangladesh). Nov 23, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  3. ↑ "Bangladesh Targets Fugitives and Money Launderers in Canada". Yahoo! News. December 22, 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  4. ↑ "দেশ থেকে কোটি কোটি টাকা পাচার হচ্ছে কানাডায়!". The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). Jan 17, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  5. ↑ "Foreign mission asked to collect info". New Age (Bangladesh). 15 Dec 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  6. 1 2 "'বেগম পাড়ায়' অবসর কাটাতে যান বাংলাদেশি 'সাহেবরা'". Somoy TV (in Bengali). Nov 21, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  7. 1 2 "'Begum Para' in Canada: Safe home for Bangladeshi smugglers". shiningbd.com. Nov 22, 2020. Archived from the original on 11 December 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  8. ↑ "বছরের শেষে তুমুল আলোচনায় 'বেগম পাড়া'". Jagonews24.com (in Bengali). Dec 31, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  9. ↑ "কানাডায় বাংলাদেশের অর্থপাচারকারী বিত্তশালীদের 'বেগমপাড়া' আসলে কোথায়?". BBC Bangla (in Bengali). Feb 11, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  10. ↑ নিউজ, সময়. "Somoy Tv News". Somoy News (in Bengali). Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  11. ↑ "Spotlight on 'Begum Para'". The Financial Express (Bangladesh). November 27, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  12. 1 2 Pratidin, Bangladesh (2020-07-20). "বেগমপাড়া কি, কি করেন এই বেগমরা?". বাংলাদেশ প্রতিদিন (in Bengali). Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  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. ↑ "বেগম পাড়ার সাহেব ও দেশ বিক্রিরকচ্ছপেরা". The Daily Prothom Alo (in Bengali). May 26, 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  16. ↑ বেগম পাড়ায়, জান্নাতী প্যালেস | Search light Special Episode | Begum Para | Canada, retrieved 2022-12-15
  17. ↑ "কানাডায় বাংলাদেশিদের 'বেগমপাড়া'র সন্ধানে". BBC News বাংলা (in Bengali). Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  18. ↑ Selim Malik. "কানাডায় ১০ বেগমপাড়া গড়েছেন বাংলাদেশি অসাধু সাহেবরা (ভিডিও)". RTV Online. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  19. 1 2 "'Begum Para' In Canada: Mostly govt officials bought houses". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). November 21, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  20. ↑ BonikBarta. "বিকল্পের খোঁজে কানাডায় অর্থ পাচারকারী বাংলাদেশীরা". বিকল্পের খোঁজে কানাডায় অর্থ পাচারকারী বাংলাদেশীরা. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  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. ↑ "Govt, ACC get more time to give details on Begum Para dwellers". New Age (Bangladesh). 17 Dec 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  26. ↑ "কানাডার বেগম পাড়ার বাড়ি ক্রেতাদের তালিকার খোঁজে দুদক". The Daily Star (in Bengali). Nov 24, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  27. ↑ "বেগম পাড়ার সাহেবরা". banglatribune.com (in Bengali). Nov 25, 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  28. ↑ "টাকা বিদেশে নেয় কারা". Daily Inqilab (in Bengali). 23 Nov 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  29. ↑ "বেগমপাড়া সেকেন্ড হোম তিন ব্যাংক ও দুই কোম্পানির অর্থ লুণ্ঠন সমাচার". Daily Inqilab (in Bengali). 8 Dec 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  30. ↑ "Ghosts of 'Begumpara' and the future of Bangladesh". The Daily Prothom Alo. 22 Nov 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  31. ↑ "টরন্টোর বেগম পাড়ায় মন ভালো নেই বেগমদের". purboposhchim (in Bengali). 22 Jan 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
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