Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has called on Canada to assist in recovering money laundered from Bangladesh to North American countries.
During a meeting with Canadian High Commissioner to Dhaka Ajit Singh, on Tuesday, CA Yunus highlighted that hundreds of billions of dollars had been stolen from Bangladesh by oligarchs, cronies, and politicians linked to the Sheikh Hasina regime. A portion of this wealth, he stated, had been laundered into Canada, including investments in Toronto’s “Begum Para” neighbourhood, infamous for housing illicit assets of Bangladeshi elites.
"They stole money from our people and bought assets in Begum Para. We need your help to recover the assets. It is the money of our people," the chief adviser urged.
The Canadian high commissioner welcomed the initiative, assuring support in identifying, freezing, and repatriating illicit funds. He noted that Canada has a legal framework to freeze misappropriated assets upon official identification by Bangladesh’s interim government.
In addition to backing Bangladesh’s anti-corruption drive, Canada pledged support for the interim government’s reform initiatives as the country transitions towards democracy.
"We support the great thing you are doing. We appreciate the progress that has been made. We are keen to know what we can do," said Ajit Singh.
The high commissioner also expressed Canada’s interest in expanding trade and investment with Bangladesh, revealing that a Canadian minister is set to visit Dhaka soon for discussions on economic cooperation.
Professor Yunus, recalling his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the UN General Assembly, emphasised the need for greater Canadian investment in Bangladesh.
"Bangladesh is ready for business. We want to expand trade with your country, and we want Canadian companies to relocate their factories to Bangladesh," he said.
He also urged Ottawa to establish a visa office in Dhaka to support the growing Bangladeshi community in Canada.
Lamiya Morshed, senior secretary and principal coordinator for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also attended the meeting.
