Begum Para, Canada
Begum Para () is the luxurious residential area for the Bangladeshi immigrants in Toronto, Canada. The foreign ministry of Bangladesh found the connection of money launderers to the Begum Para. Most of them are Bangladeshi government officials, followed by politicians and businessmen. In Begum Para, wives and children of Bangladeshi extra-opulent people live a luxurious life with the illegal money sent by their husbands. Retiring from their job, the guys go to their Begums (wives) in Canada. For this reason, these places have been named Begum Para. History. When the Begum Para was formed is unclear. Mass  emigration from Bangladesh to Canada started in 2006. The Bangla term "Begum Para" has originally derived from the Urdu Begumpura, that means "colony of wives" in the Greater Toronto Area. According to the Canadian government statistics, the number of Bangladeshi immigrants was 33,230 until 2006. Immigration Canada informed that from 2015 to 2019, 16,325 Bangladeshi citizens got permanent residentship to Canada. Statistics Canada (2020) reports that 100,000 Bangladeshis live in Canada. 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 . 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. The Anti-Corruption Commission asked the government to provide a list of its officials who bought homes in Begum Para. 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. 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.” It is reported that the fugitive PK Haldar has also settled in Begum Para after smuggling 3600 crore BDT. According to Global Financial Integrity, a Washington-based research firm, around US$ 6 billion was smuggled out of Bangladesh in 2015 through trade manipulation. 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?"