5 Bangladeshi employees of Hyundai construction face corruption charges in Singapore
The group includes five Bangladeshi safety coordinators and supervisors alongside a Singaporean safety manager
Five Bangladeshi and one Singaporean employee of Hyundai Engineering & Construction were charged in court on Thursday over alleged corruption linked to workplace safety enforcement at a construction site on Labrador Villa Road, according to court documents and the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau.
The six accused, who held safety-related roles at the site, are alleged to have accepted or attempted to obtain bribes totalling about S$12,650 between 2023 and 2024 in exchange for overlooking workplace safety violations, says the Strait Times.
The group includes five Bangladeshi safety coordinators and supervisors alongside a Singaporean safety manager.
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Shaheen (32), a Bangladeshi safety coordinator, faces 15 charges, the highest among the accused. He is alleged to have accepted or attempted to obtain about S$6,200 in bribes during the period.
Biswas Uzzal (42), a Bangladeshi safety coordinator, faces 11 charges and is accused of conspiring with colleagues, including the Singaporean safety manager, to accept bribes.
Hossain Mithu Mohammad Arif (33), a Bangladeshi safety coordinator, faces nine charges and is alleged to have been involved in conspiracies to accept bribes linked to safety enforcement decisions.
Biswas Pradip Chandra (29), a Bangladeshi safety supervisor, faces eight charges and is alleged to have worked with others to accept bribe payments.
Uddin Md Mesbah (34), a Bangladeshi safety coordinator, faces two charges and is the only one among the Bangladeshi accused who has indicated an intention to plead guilty.
The sixth accused, Siow Hung Wee (53), a Singaporean safety manager, faces seven charges for allegedly conspiring with co-accused individuals to accept bribes.
According to court documents and CPIB findings, the alleged inducements were linked to safety enforcement actions, including not reporting unsafe work practices, waiving or failing to issue safety penalties, allowing previously banned workers back onto the site, and permitting unapproved or untrained workers to operate machinery or begin work.
During the court hearing, Shaheen, Uzzal, Mithu and Pradip indicated they would claim trial to some charges while pleading guilty to others. Mesbah indicated an intention to plead guilty, while Siow requested time to engage legal counsel.
The case is scheduled to return to court on 10 July 2026.
Under Singapore's Prevention of Corruption Act, those convicted may face fines of up to S$100,000, imprisonment of up to five years, or both. Some charges may be amalgamated, which can increase penalties upon conviction.
