Australian Man Denied Bail in Alleged Bribery Plot Linked to Wife's Death
An Australian widower accused of attempting to bribe officials in Bangladesh to halt an investigation into his wife's death has been denied bail, with a magistrate citing concerns he could flee the country.
An Australian man accused of attempting to bribe officials in Bangladesh in connection with his wife's death has been denied bail. Awlad Hossain, 50, applied for bail in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday, having been in custody for nearly a month since his arrest.
Prosecutors allege Hossain sent more than $96,000 in an effort to bribe Bangladeshi officials and prevent them from linking him and his family to the death of his wife, Rehana Parvin, who was found dead by police in Bangladesh in September 2024. Hossain faces an arrest warrant in Bangladesh.
Hossain's defense solicitor, Torik Dib, argued that his client would not flee Australia because he faces a potential death penalty if he returns to Bangladesh. "There has been no formal extradition application... because they have capital punishment," Dib told the court. He added that Hossain is protected from extradition by Australia, as the country considers the death penalty a violation of human rights.
The magistrate, Tim Hishon, acknowledged that Hossain could potentially flee to other countries that do not have the death penalty, suggesting he could work as a farm hand in New Zealand.
Hossain, an Australian citizen, has significant ties to Queensland, including property ownership, his lawyer stated. The Commonwealth prosecutor opposed bail, however, raising concerns about Hossain's risk of reoffending, interfering with witnesses, and failing to appear in court.
Federal police investigating Ms. Parvin's disappearance had reportedly tapped Hossain's phones and placed a listening device in his vehicle on suspicion he could be charged with murder. During alleged bribery communications, Hossain was reportedly recorded saying, "I have submitted the paperwork to court. I have paid 100,000 taka" (approximately A$1,170), and "they want money." He allegedly also stated he would "give anything" if Bangladeshi authorities withdrew him from the case.
Adding to the complexity, the court heard that Hossain was already on bail for charges of forging his wife's death certificate to claim her share of properties at the time of the alleged bribery. The magistrate ultimately refused bail, determining that no conditions could adequately mitigate the risk of Hossain fleeing or committing further offenses.
Hossain intends to seek bail in Queensland's Supreme Court. His wife, Rehana Parvin, who held dual Australian-Bangladeshi nationality, was discovered deceased by Bangladeshi police shortly after Australian Federal Police began investigating her disappearance, which had been reported to Queensland police.
