In January, the Canadian government initiated a probe into illicit funds entering the country from overseas. A series of actions were taken to prevent Canada from being used as a sanctuary for money launderers. Among the major steps was a thorough examination of immigrants’ financial sources. Authorities began looking into whether known money launderers from different countries had transferred their illegally acquired wealth to Canada. The inquiry found that a majority of those named in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers scandals had invested in properties there, and investigations into their activities are still underway.
According to a probe by Bangladesh Pratidin, most of the Bangladeshi money launderers whose names appeared in the Panama and Paradise Papers have also become property owners in Canada. Funds were siphoned off from Bangladesh to tax havens and later transferred legally to Canada. It is not difficult to discern that this method was used to invest and acquire assets in countries like Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Fourteen Bangladeshi names appeared in the Panama Papers, and 29 individuals and companies were named in the Paradise Papers. Among them were controversial businessman Musa Bin Shamsher and several other prominent business figures.
The 14 names listed in the Panama Papers include: Faisal Ahmed Chowdhury of Baraka Patenga Power Ltd; Setu Corporation’s director Umme Rubana and managing director Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury; Azmat Moin of Gulshan-2; Salma Haque of Banani; S.M. Zobaidul Haque; Syed Sirajul Haque of Baridhara; Dilip Kumar Modi of Dhanmondi and Tariq Ikramul Haque of Gulshan, among others.
Those named in the Paradise Papers include: U.S.-based expatriates Mogul Farida Y and Shahid Ullah; Chowdhury Faisal of Banani, Dhaka; Ahmad Samir of Baridhara; Musa Bin Shamsher of Brummer & Partners Asset Management Bangladesh Ltd and Venus Overseas Co.; Fazle Elahi of Dynamic Energy; K.H. Asadul Islam of Intrepid Group; Zulfikar Ahmed of Khaleda Shipping Company; Tajul Islam Tajul of Gemico Trade International, Narayanganj; Mohammad Malek of Bengal Shipping Lines, Chattogram; Shahnaz Huda Razzak of Southern Ice Shipping Company, Dhaka; Imran Rahman of Ocean Ice Shipping Company; Mohammad A. Awal of Shams Shipping Ltd; Eric Johnson Andres Wilson of Uttara, Dhaka; Farhan Yakubur Rahman of Intrepid Group; Tajul Islam of Gemico Trade International; Amanullah Chagla of Padma Textile; Mohammad Atikuzzaman of New Technology Investment, Russia; Mohammad Rezaul Haque of Malta; Mohammad Kamal Bhuiyan and Faruk Palwan of Gemico Trade International, Narayanganj; Mahtaba Rahman of Selcon Shipping Company; and Mahmud Hossain of Global Education System, Ireland.
When this list was compared with those who purchased assets in Canada and other countries, it became evident that the laundered funds were first sent to nations that do not question the source of money. Billions of takas were transferred through fake companies to tax haven countries and later brought into Canada through legal channels. For this reason, the Canadian authorities did not take action against them under their domestic laws.
In 2021, Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) formed a committee to investigate laundered money stashed in Canada and other countries. However, the findings of that report were never made public. According to the report, among the money launderers were expelled Jubo League leader Ismail Chowdhury Samrat, organizational secretary Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan, and former Dhaka South City Corporation councillor A.K.M. Mominul Haque alias Saeed. They allegedly laundered money to Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Dubai. The investigation revealed that at least three of them had invested their laundered funds in Canada.
During the Awami League regime, Supreme Court lawyers Abdul Qayyum Khan and Subir Nandi Das filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking directives to recover the “huge amount” of money laundered abroad, particularly to Swiss banks. After the initial hearing, on 28 February, the court issued a rule asking for information about the amount of Bangladeshi money deposited in Swiss and other foreign banks.
The court also sought an explanation as to why investigations should not be ordered into the Bangladeshi citizens and companies named in the Panama and Paradise Papers, and why it should not be directed to receive monthly progress reports on such investigations. However, fearing that influential names might be exposed, the then Attorney General personally appeared before the court and secured a stay order. Consequently, the names of the looters connected to “Begumpara” remained hidden.
After the High Court issue over Begumpara was suppressed, money laundering from Bangladesh to countries like Canada increased further. Investigations found that between 2021 and August 2024, Canada became one of the most preferred destinations for Bangladeshi money launderers. When the United States took a stricter stance against illicit financial transfers, the looters began shifting their focus toward Canada.
During this period, not only senior secretaries but also additional and joint secretaries applied for permanent residency (PR) in Canada. Investigations revealed that at least 570 Bangladeshi government officials applied for Canadian immigration. Among them were engineers, physicians, and officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR). Around the same time, Dr. Khalilur Rahman, a pro-Awami businessman and a key facilitator in bureaucratic money laundering, was appointed Bangladesh’s ambassador to Canada.
Among the bureaucrats who purchased homes or apartments in Canada were former Health Secretary Lokman Hossain Miah, former Secretaries Abdul Malek, Mezbah Uddin, and Shah Kamal, among others.
Meanwhile, several pro-Awami businessmen also bought properties in Canada during this period. Among them were influential banking sector figure Nazrul Islam Mazumder, former Dhaka North City Corporation mayor Atiqul Islam, and newly emerged businessman Nafiz Sarafat. At least 15 businessmen reportedly purchased substantial properties in Canada.
A few politicians also joined the Canada-bound rush. Shamim Osman had already owned a home in Canada since 2007 but bought another one there in 2022. Former mayor Sayeed Khokon, Awami League Office Secretary Barrister Biplob Barua, and several other Awami League leaders also became property owners in Canada. None of them reportedly acquired these assets through legitimate means.
Statements by Fazle Kabir and Rauf Talukder:
Former secretary and ex-governor of Bangladesh Bank, Fazle Kabir, and former governor Abdur Rauf Talukder issued rejoinders protesting a portion of the Bangladesh Pratidin report published on October 6 under the headline “The Prominent Figures Whose New Address Is Now Canada.” They claimed that they do not own any houses or apartments in Canada and that the information mentioned in the report was incorrect.
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
