Four decades ago, Imelda Marcos captured the world's attention as the glamorous First Lady of the Philippines, wife of the controversial dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Her penchant for luxury was epitomized by her infamous collection of thousands of pairs of shoes, a symbol of opulence that both fascinated and repulsed the public.

Yet, beyond her fashionista image, Imelda had a fervent love for travel, both within her homeland and abroad, which often sparked political intrigue.

One iconic photograph of her with Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong during a state of emergency became a flashpoint for heated political discussions.

After nearly 21 years of authoritarian rule, the Marcos family was forced to flee amid public outrage following a disputed election. They later sought refuge in Hawaii, USA, leaving behind a nation in turmoil.

Fast forward to Bangladesh, where Sheikh Hasina, the country's former Prime Minister, found herself in a similar predicament.

Following a student uprising on August 5 this year, she fled to India to navigate the political crisis.

During her tenure, Hasina faced scrutiny over her extensive foreign travels, often accompanied by a large entourage.

However, the exact cost of these trips remains shrouded in secrecy, complicating efforts to assess how much state funds were actually spent.

After leaving Bangladesh, details about Hasina's travel practices began to surface. Reports indicated that she frequently chartered flights from Bangladesh Airlines, funded by public money.

Airline officials confirmed that the Foreign Ministry oversaw these arrangements. Yet, despite her time in office beginning in 2009, comprehensive data about her travels—including destinations and frequency—has remained elusive.

Requests for this information under the Right to Information Act have often been classified, leaving the public in the dark.

Lavish travel with large entourage

Discussions with various airline officials reveal that Prime Minister Hasina often traveled on state-of-the-art Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft for her international trips, although she also occasionally used scheduled flights.

This luxurious travel, combined with the ongoing economic challenges in Bangladesh, raises pressing questions about accountability and the responsible use of public resources.

Bangladesh Airlines provided extensive support for these trips, with the managing director and other senior officials accompanying the Prime Minister on VIP flights, as is customary for state leaders.

Sheikh Hasina traveled extensively around the globe on large aircraft. A former airline official noted, “She was taken to countries where regular flights or other airlines could have reached, which would have saved a significant amount for the state.”

An investigation into her travel expenditures has uncovered financial records spanning only five years. From 2019 to mid-2024, the state airline reportedly spent around 250 crore taka (approximately $30 million) on a total of 48 VIP flights.

Of these, a staggering 35 were dedicated to Sheikh Hasina, while the remaining 13 were utilized by two other presidents for their own travels.

The financial implications are significant. Sheikh Hasina's travel expenses alone have totaled about 200 crore taka (around $24 million), while former President Abdul Hamid and current President Mohammad Sahabuddin Chappu accounted for an additional 50 crore taka (about $6 million).

During her tenure, Hasina made notable trips to various countries: at least eight visits to the UK, four each to India, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, and two each to the USA and China.

The highest expenditures were recorded during her trips to the Middle East and the USA in 2023, which alone cost nearly 23 crore taka (about $2.8 million).

These expenses are generally covered by Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry, yet acquiring detailed information about them has proven challenging, highlighting the complexities of accountability in state spending.

From 2019 to 2022, former President Abdul Hamid traveled to six countries on nine occasions, incurring expenses totaling 25.5 crore taka (approximately $3.1 million).

From 2023 to 2024, current President Sahabuddin made five trips to six countries, with similar expenses amounting to 25.5 crore taka (about $3.1 million).

No accountability in spending public money

Mohammad Safikur Rahman, the current managing director of Bangladesh Airlines, confirmed that the Hasina government frequently chartered aircraft from the airline.

A senior official who preferred anonymity told Bangla Outlook, “Sheikh Hasina traveled with a large entourage, making each trip extremely costly.”

Another official told Bangla Outlook, “Given the high expenses, we have urged the government to purchase a smaller aircraft for maintenance and operation by state institutions for such visit by the government and the state heads.”

He noted, “We propose that this aircraft be managed by us and made available for both regular and special flights.”

Despite the government’s strict measures on foreign travel in response to the economic downturn following the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been little effort to reduce the lavish trips taken by Hasina.

Allegations persist that she travels with a large entourage each year when attending the United Nations General Assembly, and reports indicate she brings a substantial protocol during international conferences.

This year, Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus represented Bangladesh at the UN General Assembly. He traveled frequently from Bangladesh to the USA, keeping his entourage minimal for security reasons.

No statement has been received from Sheikh Hasina regarding allegations of misusing state funds. When asked if regular flights could have reduced costs, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy chose not to comment.

Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Citizens for Good Governance (Shujan), expressed that such foreign trips are undesirable for a country like Bangladesh.

He pointed out that the extravagance of air travel perpetuates a trend of looting and corruption disguised as development. He stressed that any government should refrain from using public funds for such lavish travel.

As of 2023, the airline is owed nearly 500 crore taka (approximately $60 million) by the government. In July, Sheikh Hasina traveled to China with a large delegation.

Although a longer trip was planned, she canceled her final foreign journey following the intensification of the anti-discrimination student movement in mid-July.

On August 5, she was compelled to flee not on a regular flight, but on a military aircraft from the Bangladesh Air Force.

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