The Strand

Issue date: 10/16/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Joe Howell

Media Credit: Joe Howell Second year Life Sciences student Saad Alam speaks to a crowd of supporters on September 30.

Media Credit: Joe Howell

"If I was to go back to Bangladesh, it would be completely devastating for me. I don't know how to read or write the language. I can barely speak it," said University of Toronto student Saad Alam to a crowd of supporters, only days before he lost his bid to remain in Canada. He and his parents, were deported to Bangladesh last Friday.

With dreams of attending med school, Alam had already completed two years of a life-science degree at UofT, and refrained from starting his third in September until he knew his fate.

He told the gathered crowd that his parents each worked two jobs to help him pay his international student fees, which can be four to five times more than what domestic students pay, and had purchased a house.

The Alam family failed to secure refugee status, appealing first on grounds of compassion and then on risk of return, due to his father, Badrul's affiliation with Bangladesh's fourth largest political party, the Jatiya Party.

For the Alam family's claim to have been rejected, the Immigration and Refugee Board would have to have found minimal "risk to life or the risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment" upon their return. In 2002, the Board accepted about 58 percent of all refugee applications.

Alam's situation raises a number of larger practical and moral questions.

Anita Balakrishna, a lawyer representing Alam and his parents, told the Toronto Star: "They're very strict about removals these days. It's a reaction to the Auditor General's report."

The report in question, issued on May 6 by Auditor General Shelia Frasier, said that roughly 41,000 of 63,000 immigrants ordered to leave the country could not be found.

Frasier said that the "growing number of individuals who might be in Canada illegally - whose whereabouts are unknown" were "jeopardizing the integrity of Canada's immigration program."

Alam and his family have clearly put down roots here. However, if they had been granted clemency, would it discourage others from attempting to immigrate legally? The official process can take years.

Alam told this reporter that it is through these official channels he hopes to return.

"We decided that we need to leave on Friday, just because it would give me the chance to apply for a student visa and try to come back. It would be a chance to try and continue my education," he said.

He seemed worried about his prospects, however.

"The visa takes up to a year to get, and they might just deny it because I'm leaving under a removal order," said Alam. "There's no guarantee I can come back to study. My campaign to at least finish my education - that's all I'm asking for."

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