UK Councillor Draws £28,000 Salary While Residing in Bangladesh

Image: Jihad Watch

A London borough councillor has come under scrutiny after it emerged that she has continued to receive more than £20,000 a year in taxpayer-funded allowances while spending the majority of her time thousands of miles away in Bangladesh.

Sabina Khan, who was elected to represent Tower Hamlets in east London, has reportedly been based in Sylhet, Bangladesh, for the past eight months. Although elected under the Labour banner, she later defected to the Aspire party. Despite her prolonged absence from the UK, she has chosen to remain in her role until the upcoming local elections in May, at which point she is expected to step down.

Reports suggest that Ms Khan’s extended stay abroad is linked to her political ambitions in Bangladesh, where she is believed to be seeking a future parliamentary role. It is understood that she informed both her political party and the council’s monitoring officer about her travel and ongoing absence from the UK.

Tower Hamlets Council has confirmed that Ms Khan receives £11,898 annually as a councillor, in addition to £8,702 for her role as Scrutiny Lead for Resources. This position carries significant responsibility, including overseeing and examining council spending and financial decisions. Together, these payments amount to £20,600 per year.

Since first travelling to Bangladesh last May, Ms Khan is understood to have spent most of her time outside the UK. Apart from one or two in-person appearances, she has reportedly relied on remote attendance for council and committee meetings, sent a proxy to represent her, or missed meetings altogether.

Her decision to remain in office until May means she will have received a full year’s worth of allowances while being largely based overseas. Critics argue that this arrangement raises serious questions about accountability, value for money, and her ability to effectively serve local residents.

Serving as a local councillor typically involves close engagement with constituents, attendance at meetings, and on-the-ground oversight of council services and spending. Critics point out that these duties are difficult to fulfil remotely, particularly when it comes to assessing infrastructure, monitoring the effectiveness of social programs, and responding directly to residents’ concerns.

There are also questions about why both of Ms Khan’s paid roles have continued uninterrupted despite her prolonged absence. Some observers have raised concerns about transparency and governance, particularly in light of past controversies within Tower Hamlets’ political leadership.

The situation has renewed debate about standards of conduct, the expectations placed on elected officials, and whether current rules adequately address long-term absences from the country while holding public office. For many residents and critics, the core issue is whether a councillor can genuinely and effectively represent a local community while living abroad for extended periods, and whether taxpayers are receiving fair value for the public funds being spent.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)