The structural, magnetic and magneto-electric (ME) properties of polycrystalline BiFeO₃ and Bi_0.9–xGd_xLa_0.1FeO₃ (x = 0.00 and 0.05) samples have been investigated. X-ray diffraction patterns confirm the formation of single phases in all the samples with ‘R3c’ space group. Magnetic anisotropy and ferroelectric hysteresis behaviour are observed in Bi_0.85Gd_0.05La_0.1FeO₃ through magnetization and polarization measurements respectively. In addition, the same compound shows weak ferromagnetism at room temperature with a significantly enhanced remnant magnetization of ~ 23.6 emu.mol^-1, concomitant with an exchange bias. ME measurements on the compound show a non-linear dependence of magnetic and electric vectors.