Man arrested in Australia over $90,000 bribe to influence wife's 'murder' probe in Bangladesh

Highlights:

• Australian police says payments were allegedly intended to influence murder probe
• No evidence found that Bangladeshi officials accepted bribes
• Bangladesh and Australia are separately investigating Rehana Parvin's death
• Hossain denies the charge and plans to contest it

The Australian Federal Police have charged Awlad Hossain, the estranged husband of Bangladeshi-Australian woman Rehana Parvin, with allegedly bribing a foreign public official to influence the investigation into his wife's suspected murder in Bangladesh, reports ABC News.

Hossain, 51, allegedly transferred more than $90,000 to some people in Bangladesh over two years in an attempt to influence the investigation into Parvin's death, according to the Australian police.

The foreign bribery charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment.

ABC News revealed that Hossain is in custody in Brisbane. His case had been adjourned and he had not appeared in court as of Tuesday, with a bail application expected.

Australian police Commander Stephen Jay said investigators would allege that Hossain made multiple payments to people he knew in Bangladesh, some of which were intended for Bangladeshi police, reports ABC news.

However, he said there was "absolutely no evidence" that any payments were made to officials or that they influenced the investigation.

"We have not seen any change in the level of the support provided to us by Bangladeshi police," Jay said, adding that Australian authorities remained satisfied with the cooperation they were receiving from their Bangladeshi counterparts.

Jay said the bribery allegation was directly relevant to the investigation into Parvin's death, which remains ongoing.

"The evidence of alleged bribes was uncovered as part of that existing investigation," he said.

Australian police officers arrested Hossain on Tuesday and searched properties in Goodna and Redbank Plains in Queensland, seizing an electronic device.

Investigators also searched financial institutions in Sydney and Brisbane and obtained international money-transfer and bank records.

The Australian police said this was the first time it had brought an allegation of foreign bribery of a public official for personal advantage before an Australian court.

Hossain's lawyer, Torik Dib, said his client denied the allegations and would contest the charge.

"There are evidentiary deficiencies in the prosecution case which will be matters to be properly tested and determined before the Court," Dib told the ABC.

Two investigations into Parvin's death

Parvin, an Australian citizen and mother of five, travelled to Bangladesh in June 2024 and was later reported missing.

Her body was found in a village in Bangladesh in September that year. Bangladeshi police subsequently issued an arrest warrant for Hossain over her death, but he has not been charged in connection with the death in either Bangladesh or Australia.

Two investigations into Parvin's death are under way – one by the Australian police and another by Bangladeshi police.

Bangladeshi police said they were not aware of any official reports regarding the bribery allegations but welcomed Australian police cooperation in the broader investigation.

"They have assisted us from the very beginning, which helped advance the investigation of the case," a Bangladeshi police spokesperson said.

According to media reports, Parvin's body was found buried near a septic tank at a property linked to Hossain's family in Bangladesh.

Bangladeshi authorities had previously arrested two people over her disappearance and were continuing their investigation.