SYDNEY, June 13: A convicted former Bangladeshi prime minister, Qazi Zafar Ahmed, will be investigated in Australia for fraudulently claiming the refugee status in the country.

Qazi Zafar of Jatiya Party, known in Bangladesh as ‘Sugar Zafar’, was prime minister of Bangladesh during 1989 and was sentenced for 15-year jail term in absentia in November 1999, for his alleged involvement in misappropriation of several million dollars worth of aid shipment of sugar.

Sydney Morning Herald revealed on Friday that Qazi Ahmed fled to Australia two months before a Dhaka court delivered its verdict against him, and was granted refugee status by the Immigration Department after he had claimed a well founded fear for his life in Bangladesh.

The Australian government is surprised by the revelation and has promised investigations as Australian immigration laws forbids granting residency to someone with criminal record or conviction. Prime Minister John Howard has promised to look into the case.

“I am going to make few inquiries about it. It (granting the refugee status to Qazi) seems a puzzling decision and there may be a proper explanation,” said John Howard on a Melbourne Radio.