Beauty Queen Sacndal: Alleged Honey Trap Shakes Bangladesh-Saudi Diplomacy

A former beauty queen, Meghna Alam, stands at the center of a scandal, accused of setting up a honey trap for a Saudi diplomat in Dhaka to extort USD 5 million. Alam denies the allegations, claiming the diplomat intended to marry her. Her arrest has prompted media and rights group backlash.

Bangladesh police have detained former beauty queen Meghna Alam, accused of orchestrating a honey trap to extort USD 5 million from a former Saudi ambassador in Dhaka. Alam refutes the allegations, asserting that the diplomat sought marriage with her.

Authorities claim Alam, her associate Dewan Samir, and others lured diplomats into love affairs with promises of romance. Police, however, refrained from naming the Saudi diplomat involved.

Alam's detention under the Special Powers Act has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups and media outlets. Amnesty International has urged authorities to either formally charge or release her. The case continues to stir diplomatic waters between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.

(With inputs from agencies.)