Man charged with bribing police denies involvement in wife’s death

A Queensland man charged with attempting to bribe police has denied any involvement in the suspected murder of his estranged wife in Bangladesh, with his lawyer saying he was “shocked and concerned” to be arrested.

Awlad Hossain, 51, was arrested this week over allegations he made transfers totalling $90,000 to associates in Bangladesh along with directions to use the money to bribe local police to influence a suspected murder investigation relating to his wife, Rehana Parvin.

Parvin’s body was discovered by Bangladeshi police in September 2024. A missing person’s report was lodged with Queensland police regarding an Australian overseas around the same time Parvin was found.

Hossain, whose occupation was listed as a metalworker, was an Australian-Bangladeshi dual national, who lived in Redbank Plains, south-west of Brisbane.

Electronic devices were seized by police during a raid at the Redbank Plains home on Monday. Officers also raided the nearby Goodna home of his current girlfriend, where he was arrested and charged.

On Wednesday, Hossain’s lawyer, Torik Dib, appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court, where he asked to adjourn a bail application for his client to obtain more information about a man he said was Hossain’s roommate.

Dib told the court the roommate was not a co-accused. He was also seeking to obtain further information from Hossain’s employer as part of the bid for release from custody.

The bail application, which is opposed by the prosecution, was scheduled to be heard in October. Hossain will remain in custody.

When asked outside court if Hossain was allegedly conspiring with others, Dib said the charge would be contested, and it would be inappropriate to comment.

When asked if Hossain denied any involvement in his wife’s death, Dib answered: “Yes.”

Dib said while there were proceedings offshore, Hossain’s legal team in Australia had not been contacted by authorities in relation to his wife’s death or disappearance.

Australian Federal Police Commander Stephen Jay told reporters on Tuesday the alleged attempts to influence the Bangladesh investigation were unsuccessful.

“These communications [from Hossain to Bangladeshi associates] allegedly indicated the funds were intended to be used to influence the Bangladeshi police investigation into the woman’s death,” he told media at AFP’s Brisbane headquarters on Tuesday.

“I’d like to emphasise – the material we have obtained indicates the alleged attempts to influence the criminal investigation in Bangladesh were not successful.”