Bangladeshi model and former beauty queen Meghna Alam has been formally charged with extortion following allegations that she attempted to blackmail a former Saudi ambassador for $5 million through a so-called honey trap scheme.
Alam, 30, was initially detained under Bangladesh’s Special Powers Act, which allows indefinite detention without formal charges.
Police spokesperson Muhammad Talebur Rahman confirmed the extortion charge, stating it is connected to a purported plot to pressure the diplomat into transferring the funds. A senior police official, speaking anonymously, alleged that Alam and her associates conspired to coerce the ambassador as part of the scheme.
“Maintaining diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia is a top priority, given the large number of Bangladeshi expatriates working there,” the official said.
During a court appearance on Thursday, Alam, who was not represented by legal counsel, denied all charges and requested that her arrest be declared unlawful.
Authorities had earlier accused her of activities that could threaten state security and harm the nation’s financial standing. Alam, a former Miss Earth Bangladesh titleholder, was taken into custody on April 9.
