Two Tower Hamlets councillors at the centre of a political storm have pushed back against criticism after it emerged that they are campaigning to become members of the parliament not in Westminster, but in Bangladesh.

On Thursday evening, Councillor Sabina Khan told The Daily Star that she has formally resigned from her position at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (LBTH), and that both her party and the council's monitoring officer have accepted her resignation.

However, the council has not officially confirmed this. As of the time of reporting today, the LBTH website still listed her as an active councillor.

The controversy, first uncovered by The Daily Express and later reported by The London Evening Standard and The Sun, has ignited outrage across East London and divided opinion within one of Britain's most politically active diaspora communities.

Communities Secretary Steve Reed said he was "appalled" that elected London representatives would "abandon their commitment" to local residents in pursuit of political careers abroad.

Both councillors Sabina Khan and Ohid Ahmed have since broken their silence in exclusive statements to The Daily Star, defending their actions as legitimate expressions of transnational public service and accusing critics of misunderstanding their motives.

Within Tower Hamlets' Bangladeshi community, the reaction has been emotional and conflicted. For many, the issue cuts to the heart of identity and loyalty. Some feel that their representatives' attention has drifted towards Bangladesh, others insisting the criticism is hypocritical, arguing that diaspora political engagement has long defined Britain's Bangladeshi community.

"It's about where your duty lies," said Mile End resident Ahmed Reza. "We elected them to fix problems here — housing, youth violence, antisocial behaviour. You can't do that from Bangladesh."

Fatema Akhter, however, offered a different view: "For many of us, politics in Bangladesh and service in Britain are not separate things. Our families are tied to both. Why shouldn't someone who has proven themselves here take that experience home?"

Tower Hamlets Conservative Councillor Peter Golds was unequivocal in his condemnation. Speaking to The Daily Star, he said, "Should they wish to do this, they should have resigned from the council here in London to concentrate on a political campaign 8,000 kilometres away. This leaves two of our wards under-represented at a time when the borough faces financial strain. It's a complete dereliction of duty."

Golds added that the council should consider suspending the councillors' allowances for as long as they are campaigning abroad.

Councillor Sabina Khan, who represented Mile End, dismissed the criticism as politically motivated. In a detailed statement, she described her decision as one of continuity, not abandonment, rooted in her late father's legacy within the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

She said the fall of the Awami League government in August 2024 had "opened a new chapter for democratic participation" in Bangladesh, and that her family and supporters had urged her to return to help rebuild BNP's future.

Khan — elected under Labour in 2022 before defecting to the Aspire Party — said she had informed her party of her intention to resign earlier this year but was asked by senior figures to delay until after the next local elections to avoid a costly by-election.

"It is not unlawful under UK law for a councillor to engage in political activity abroad," she said. "I have continued to serve my constituents remotely and returned when required. Nonetheless, I have now stepped down to dedicate myself fully to public service in Bangladesh," she said.

Although not ultimately nominated as the BNP candidate for Sylhet-6, Khan confirmed she intends to remain active in party politics and would accept a reserved parliamentary seat if invited.

"My father's service inspired me," she said. "This is not about leaving Tower Hamlets behind — it is about serving the broader Bangladeshi community with the experience I have gained here."

Ohid Ahmed, independent councillor for Lansbury ward, has also faced scrutiny over his involvement in Bangladeshi politics. In a letter to Communities Secretary Steve Reed, gathered by The Daily Star, he accused the government of "misplaced criticism" and defended his record.

"My involvement in Bangladeshi politics is entirely separate and undertaken outside council time," he wrote. "My record of casework is among the highest in the borough. My constituents remain my top priority."

Ahmed, a former Statutory Deputy Mayor of Tower Hamlets and Labour's parliamentary candidate in 2010, said he has spent more than two decades serving London's East End and plans to step down before the next local elections in 2026.

"Personal gain was never my motivation," he said. "This is a continuation of public service in another democratic setting, not a departure from my principles."

He added that his engagement with Bangladesh was "guided by integrity, fairness, and duty," noting parallels with other diaspora politicians who have served in both British and South Asian systems. He also said he is aware of Bangladeshi law on parliamentary eligibility and would be willing to give up his British citizenship if he received a nomination.

Legally, the councillors' positions remain secure — UK law does not prohibit local representatives from pursuing political office abroad. The ethical questions, however, are murkier. The government has announced plans to give councils greater power to sanction or suspend members found guilty of serious misconduct, part of a wider effort to "clean up local politics" and restore public trust. Officials have pointed to the Nolan Principles of Public Life — integrity, objectivity, and accountability — as benchmarks, though their application to international political activity remains unclear.

The controversy has exposed a long-standing tension between civic duty and cultural heritage that has defined Tower Hamlets politics for decades. It has reignited debate over whether public office can accommodate dual loyalties — or whether service must remain rooted in the constituency that grants the mandate.

The borough, home to one of Britain's largest Bangladeshi populations, has often seen local politics intertwined with transnational causes — but rarely has the balance seemed so precarious. Some within the community see Sabina Khan and Ohid Ahmed as representatives of a global generation, bridging two democracies linked by migration and history. Others view them as symptomatic of a deeper disconnect between elected officials and the day-to-day struggles of their constituents.

Syed Nahas Pasha, editor of Janomot — one of Britain's oldest Bengali-language weeklies — said, "If someone from Britain wishes to engage in politics in Bangladesh, I see nothing wrong in that. In fact, if they want to use their experience from this country to contribute back home, I would welcome it. However, when it comes to party nominations, priority should go to those who have worked and sacrificed on the ground in Bangladesh. Moreover, it is not ethically appropriate for elected public representatives in Britain to take part in political activities in Bangladesh without first resigning from their posts here."

As one community organiser told The Daily Star, "Our parents came here to build lives, but never forgot the politics of home. That legacy continues — but if you hold public office, your first loyalty must be to the people who elected you. You can't campaign for two electorates at once."

The government's proposed reforms, now under consultation, may soon clarify what is permissible for local representatives with transnational ambitions. Until then, Tower Hamlets remains a borough caught between two worlds.

According to Section 66(1) of the Bangladesh Constitution, a person shall, subject to the provisions of clause (2), be qualified to be elected as, and to be, a member of Parliament if they are a citizen of Bangladesh and have attained the age of twenty-five years. Notably, under clause (2A), if a person who is a citizen of Bangladesh by birth acquires the citizenship of a foreign state, they will not be considered to have acquired foreign citizenship for the purposes of this article, provided that in the case of dual citizenship they give up the foreign citizenship, or in other cases, they again accept the citizenship of Bangladesh.