Intelligence agencies are investigating whether the sensational “honey trap” allegations involving Miss Earth Bangladesh Meghna Alam were orchestrated to damage bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.
A Dhaka court has already granted a five-day remand for Mohammad Dewan Samir (58), chief executive officer (CEO) of Kawaii and owner of Sanjana Manpower, who is accused in a fraud case involving the entrapment of foreign diplomats through “attractive women”. He is said to be an associate of Meghna Alam.
Investigators say they are questioning Samir to uncover the mystery behind a demand for $5 million made to the outgoing Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Issa bin Youssef Al-Duhailan, and to identify and arrest others involved in the fraud.
Authorities have reportedly found evidence that Meghna Alam accepted luxury cars from several foreign diplomats and had close ties with ambassadors and diplomats from at least four countries.
Family claims innocence
Meghna’s family claims she has been arrested without committing any crime. Her arrest has sparked a storm on social media, with widespread discussions and criticism over why she was arrested under the Special Powers Act.
Several human rights groups, political organisations, and activists have condemned her arrest from her home, allegedly under the influence of a foreign ambassador. They demand her immediate release and have expressed concern over the use of controversial laws against her.
Ties with high-profile figures in ‘fascist’ regime
Intelligence agencies have also discovered that Meghna had close connections with several high-profile figures in the ruling party, which critics often describe as fascist. Photos show her with senior Awami League leaders Mozammel Haque, Abdul Momen, and Obaidul Quader, as well as evidence of ties to the son of AL minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya.
A Detective Branch (DB) officer told Times of Bangladesh that Meghna’s role involved forming close relationships with diplomats to extract sensitive information and pass it on to certain groups, as well as obtaining large sums of money. Authorities are now probing whether the “honey trap” was intentionally designed to strain Bangladesh–Saudi Arabia relations.
Police and officials from various agencies have interrogated Meghna multiple times to understand her connections within the diplomatic circle and whether she had any videos with the Saudi ambassador.
According to sources, Meghna would attend state functions to become acquainted with ambassadors and would later meet them with various proposals—during which she allegedly solicited financial benefits, visa arrangements, and facilitated participation in international beauty pageants for young women, profiting financially in the process.
Secret engagement within six months of meeting
Family sources revealed that the “engagement”—a declaration of intent to marry in Muslim tradition—between Meghna and the ambassador took place secretly on 4 December 2023, just six months after they met. However, they could not provide any documentation to support this claim.
They stated that Meghna later discovered the ambassador was married with children. Feeling betrayed, she began to distance herself, which eventually led to complications in the relationship. Her father, Badrul Alam, said she wanted the ambassador to apologise in person, but he did not. Instead, she was arrested through police intervention, despite her innocence.
Close relations with diplomats from four countries
According to police and diplomatic sources, Meghna is accused of receiving expensive gifts, including luxury cars, from several diplomats. She reportedly had close ties with ambassadors from a highly influential Middle Eastern country, two African nations, and a Southeast Asian country.
She allegedly received plane tickets as gifts from the Saudi ambassador to travel to Thailand in February and to India in November. At various diplomatic events in Dhaka, Meghna would present herself as a celebrity and develop close relations with ambassadors.
She is accused of exploiting these connections to take advantage of diplomats’ vulnerabilities and blackmail them.
The outgoing Saudi ambassador, Issa bin Yousuf bin Issa Al Duhailan, reportedly raised this issue—both formally and informally—with senior officials during his farewell meetings, seeking the government’s intervention.
Government treats it as a ‘sensitive’ issue
As the Saudi ambassador himself claimed to be a victim of blackmail and formally complained to senior government officials, the Bangladesh government is treating the matter as sensitive. Authorities also fear that Meghna may have attempted to blackmail other foreign diplomats, potentially threatening diplomatic relations with several countries.
As Meghna publicly alleged damage to the ambassador’s reputation on social media, the government is taking the matter seriously.
Multiple sources say that the Ministry of Home Affairs instructed the police to investigate the nature of Meghna’s relationship with the ambassador. An attempt was made through Meghna’s family to resolve the issue quietly, but it failed, leading to her arrest.
Based on a police petition, the court ordered her 30-day detention under the Special Powers Act. Meghna is currently being held at Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur.
Meghna’s associate on five-day remand
In connection with the scam involving the use of “attractive women” to entrap foreign diplomats, Meghna’s associate Dewan Samir, CEO of Kawaii and owner of Sanjana Manpower, has been placed on a five-day remand. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Saraha Farzana Haque issued the remand order on Saturday after rejecting his bail plea.
Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi told journalists that Samir had long been involved in extorting money from foreign diplomats and wealthy individuals using women.
He is specifically accused of demanding five million dollars from the Saudi ambassador. The case was filed by Bhatara Police Station on Friday.
Who is Meghna Alam?
According to her family, Meghna’s family moved to Dhaka from Barishal three decades ago. Her father, Badrul Alam, is the president of the Bangladesh Farmers’ Federation and a political researcher. Meghna is the eldest of four daughters.
She graduated from Viqarunnisa Noon School and College and completed her BBA at North South University. In 2020, she won the “Miss Earth Bangladesh” title. Besides modelling, Meghna is also an entrepreneur and chairs a foundation called “Miss Bangladesh”.
Call for Meghna’s release and repeal of the Special Powers Act
The Democratic Rights Committee has demanded Meghna Alam’s release and called for the repeal of the 1974 Special Powers Act.
In a statement issued on Saturday, committee member Professor Anu Muhammad denounced her detention under this controversial law as a manifestation of authoritarian behaviour by law enforcement and the judiciary.
The political journal Rashtra Chinta also expressed deep concern, stating that Meghna’s detention seriously undermines the credibility, humanity, and democratic commitment of the state structure.
A group of 38 citizens condemned her arrest, saying it violates the principles of justice, accountability, and human dignity. They urged the government to release her unconditionally and repeal the law under which she was detained.
Amnesty International concerned
Amnesty International South Asia also expressed deep concern on its verified X (formerly Twitter) account. It stated that the controversial law has long been used to detain people arbitrarily without charges or proper judicial oversight, violating international human rights standards.
Meghna was sent to jail for 30 days under the Special Powers Act last Thursday night. She was arrested by the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police from the Bashundhara residential area on Wednesday—the same day the Saudi ambassador left Dhaka.