Published : 24 Oct 2026, 02:11 PM
Updated : 24 Oct 2026, 02:11 PM
Five Bangladeshis have been charged in Canada over an alleged immigration fraud scheme involving attempts to obtain visas for 209 Bangladeshi nationals using fraudulent documents and false information.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced the charges on Thursday, saying investigators had identified 243 temporary resident visa applications linked to the alleged scheme.
Four of the accused appeared before the Valleyfield court in Quebec that day, the agency said.
They are Rashel Mirza, Mohammed Aminul Islam, Md Mudassar Alam Bhuiyan and Kazi Nafeez Alam.
Investigators believe the fifth accused, Md Rakibul Hassan, is currently in Bangladesh. A Canadian court has issued an arrest warrant for him.
According to the CBSA, the investigation began after officers, accompanied by local police and firefighters, searched a residential building in Quebec's Mercier on Jul 3, 2024.
The operation uncovered preliminary evidence of possible violations of Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, prompting the agency to launch a formal investigation in August that year.
Investigators subsequently identified 243 temporary resident visa applications submitted on behalf of 209 Bangladeshi nationals seeking to visit Canadian citizens presented as their hosts.
The CBSA alleges that the group attempted to secure visas using fraudulent documents and false information.
On Jun 3, 2025, investigators executed search warrants at four locations in Quebec and Ontario, seizing digital devices and documents.
Given the scale and complexity of the alleged scheme, investigators focused on 79 visa applications for which they had gathered the strongest evidence.
The five accused face charges under three provisions of Canada's immigration law, including conspiracy to facilitate unlawful entry, assisting in withholding or misrepresenting information in visa applications, and counselling violations of immigration legislation.
The CBSA said the charges remain subject to validation by the court.
Canada's Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree warned that those attempting to exploit the country's immigration system would face serious consequences.
"Canada's immigration system is built on integrity, fairness and respect for the law," he said.
"Those who seek to exploit or undermine our system for fraudulent purposes face serious consequences."
Eric Lapierre, the CBSA's regional director general for Quebec, said the investigation demonstrated the agency's determination to identify and disrupt networks seeking to exploit the immigration system.
The CBSA said it opened 191 criminal investigations into suspected immigration law violations in 2025 and another 55 between January and June 2026.
