A new chapter has been written in Canada’s political history as Dolly Begum becomes the first person of Bangladeshi origin elected to Canada’s federal Parliament. She secured a landslide victory in the Scarborough Southwest by-election in Toronto held on April 13, running as a candidate of the Liberal Party of Canada.
According to the final results, Begum received nearly 70 percent of the vote. As she took the stage at a victory celebration in a banquet hall on Kingston Road, supporters erupted into chants of “Dolly, Dolly, Dolly.” In a deeply emotional moment, she began her speech in the Sylheti dialect, calling out, “Mai koi gesoin?” — meaning, “Where is my mother?” She then thanked her parents and family before continuing her remarks. Her victory speech has since been widely praised as one befitting a leader of international stature.
In her address, Begum said, “Tonight we celebrate something powerful — a community that has come together, putting aside differences to choose hope, compassion, and progress.” She also paid tribute to her late husband, Rijuan, dedicating the victory to him, saying through tears, “This night truly belongs to all of you.”
Born on September 5, 1989, in Moulvibazar, Bangladesh, Begum immigrated to Canada as a child and grew up in Scarborough, Toronto. She earned a degree in political science from the University of Toronto and later completed her master’s degree in development, administration, and planning at University College London.
Begum’s political career began at the provincial level. In 2018, at just 29 years old, she was elected as a Member of Provincial Parliament from Scarborough Southwest representing the Ontario New Democratic Party. At the time, she was the youngest member of her party and the first Bangladeshi-Canadian elected to any legislative body in Canada. In 2022, she was appointed Deputy Leader of the Ontario NDP.
However, in early 2026, she made a surprising political move by leaving the NDP to join the federal Liberal Party and contest the by-election.
The decision drew criticism from members of her former party, including provincial leader Marit Stiles, as well as from the federal NDP. Despite the backlash, Begum remained firm in her decision.
The Scarborough Southwest seat became vacant following the resignation of longtime Liberal MP Bill Blair, who was appointed Canada’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. The riding has historically been a Liberal stronghold, with few exceptions. In this election, Begum defeated the Conservative candidate Diana Filipova, the NDP candidate
Fatima Shaban, and the Green Party candidate Pooja Malhotra.
Beyond personal achievement, Begum’s victory carries broader political significance. It helped secure a narrow but crucial parliamentary majority for Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government. With Liberal wins in three by-elections that night, the party’s seat count rose to 174 — surpassing the 172 seats required for a majority. This marks a rare milestone in Canadian politics, as only 14 out of 24 prime ministers have successfully led their parties to a majority government.
However, opposition leader Pierre Poilievre questioned the legitimacy of the majority, alleging that it was achieved through “backroom arrangements” rather than a general mandate, accusing politicians of betraying their voters.
From a small town in Moulvibazar to the streets of Scarborough, Dolly Begum’s journey reflects the aspirations of the Bangladeshi diaspora. From entering provincial politics at 29 to becoming a deputy party leader and now a federal MP, her story is not just one of political success — it is a powerful narrative of immigrant ambition, resilience, and achievement on the global stage.
