Qld man charged over alleged $90k bribe to corrupt Bangladesh murder investigation

A Queensland man is accused of funnelling money to Bangladesh in an attempt to tamper with a suspicious death investigation.

The Redbank Plains man will face Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday on an allegation he sought to corrupt a Bangladeshi investigation into the death of Rehana Parvin, a Queensland woman whose body was found buried in Bangladesh in 2024.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) alleges the 51-year-old arranged for about $90,000 to be sent to people in Bangladesh so it could be used to influence public officials handling the case, including having his name removed from police records.

It’s the first time the AFP has brought before a court an allegation of foreign bribery of a public official for personal advantage.

The charge emerges from a cross-border investigation that began after Ms Parvin, a dual Australian-Bangladeshi citizen and mother of five, travelled to Bangladesh in June 2024 and then vanished.

Her family has previously indicated she spent one night at her parents’ home before travelling to her in-laws. Ms Parvin was reported missing days later after contact stopped.

Bangladeshi authorities advised Australian police in September 2024 that a body believed to be Ms Parvin had been found. Forensic testing later confirmed the identification.

Bangladeshi officials indicated the death was suspicious, prompting the AFP to shift its inquiry to commonwealth laws covering the murder, manslaughter or serious harm of Australian citizens or residents overseas.

Ms Parvin’s sister previously told the ABC the family last heard from her on July 3 when she was in hospital after suffering a miscarriage.

Bangladeshi investigation officer Nur Mohammad Khan told the broadcaster Ms Parvin initially received first aid at Nawabganj Upazila Health Complex before being transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for further treatment.

Her family described Ms Parvin as a bright and generous woman who had built a life in Australia after marrying in Bangladesh and moving here nearly two decades ago.

Her mother, Irean Akter, told the ABC that Ms Parvin had “a big heart” and was always helping others.

As the investigation progressed, Australian officers travelled to Bangladesh in November 2024 as part of the probe into what the AFP had described as the suspected murder of an Australian citizen.

At the same time, Bangladesh Police were pursuing their own separate investigation into Ms Parvin’s death.