Chameleon Magazine

In what may be the boldest example of political multi-tasking since Boris tried to be Prime Minister and his own press secretary, Sabina Khan—a sitting councillor in Tower Hamlets—is reportedly running for office… in Bangladesh. That’s right. Not Birmingham. Not Brighton. Bangladesh. 5,000 miles, a few time zones, and one completely different electorate away.

🌍 Elected Here, Campaigning There—Because Democracy Has No Borders (or Accountability)

While residents of Tower Hamlets face housing crises, spiralling living costs, and the usual Westminster apathy, their councillor is apparently too busy campaigning in another country’s election to respond to local concerns. It’s the kind of political plot twist that would be rejected by Netflix for being too unbelievable.

And yet here we are.

Calls are growing for her to resign, and rightly so. Because if you’re collecting a taxpayer-funded allowance in East London while trying to win votes in Dhaka, something’s gone spectacularly sideways in the democratic process. This isn’t “serving your community”—it’s serving two plates at two different banquets and hoping no one notices you’re chewing in stereo.

Let’s be blunt: would this ever fly in reverse? A councillor from Dhaka campaigning in a UK borough while holding office back home? There would be diplomatic headlines and probably a Channel 5 documentary titled “Election Tourists: Who’s REALLY Running Britain?”

Meanwhile, Tower Hamlets residents might want to try emailing their councillor in Bengali and see if that gets a quicker reply.

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Challenges

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Feeling a bit betrayed by your elected officials moonlighting on other continents? Think this would get you fired if it were your job? Let’s hear it. Drop your take in the blog comments—not just Facebook. Let’s make this one international. 🌍✊