Missing Queensland Mum Found Dead in Bangladesh after two months

October 22, 2024

A missing Queensland woman's body was discovered abroad.


On September 12, 37-year-old Rehana Parvin was discovered dead. According to local media, she visited Bangladesh in June to oversee her several properties, as she usually did.


Police have sought for an arrest warrant and are working to extradite Ms. Parvin's estranged husband from Queensland back to Bangladesh, the police assistant superintendent in charge of the inquiry told NCA NewsWire.


The husband's sister and an 'uncle' from Ms Parvin's village have been arrested but not charged, Assistant Superintendent Ashraful Alam said.


The 38-year-old mother of five was found buried next to a septic tank.


Ms Parvin and her husband Awlad Hossain own three properties in and around the Lockyer Valley outside Brisbane. Ms Parvin also owns a 14 hectare property 300kms west of Brisbane, property records show.


They have previously owned homes in the Brisbane suburbs of Riverview and Inala.


Ms Parvin travelled to Bangladesh in June. 


She had spent one night at her own parent's home before travelling to her in-law's.


Ms Parvin's mother reported her missing three days later.


Assistant Superintendent Ashraful Alam said the husband, Mr Hossain, travelled back to Australia a week later.


Police are continuing to investigate, Mr Alam said.


It's not suggested that Mr Hossain had any involvement in his wife's death; only that Bangladeshi police have applied for an arrest warrant. 


A major English-language media outlet in Bangladesh reported that at the time the body was discovered, much of the married couple's Bangladeshi property was in Ms Parvin's name.


In a press conference last month, Ms Parvin's mother told media 'I worked hard to educate my daughter and send her to Australia, where she became a citizen'.


'My daughter earned and acquired property in Australia,' her mother said.


Bangladesh and Australia do not have an extradition treaty. 


However, there is a mechanism for people to be extradited between current and former Commonwealth countries, which Bangladesh has a history of exercising.


Superintendent Alam added that husband's sister and an 'uncle' from Ms Parvin's village have been arrested but not charged.


An Australian Federal Police spokesperson told the ABC it was liaising with international partners and the Bangladeshi authorities.


'As this is an ongoing investigation the AFP has no further comment,' the spokesperson said.


A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said it was 'providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian woman reported missing in Bangladesh.