Published: June 8, 2025, 04:45 PM
Tulip Siddiq, former UK City Minister and niece of ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has requested a meeting with Bangladesh`s Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus during his upcoming visit to London. The meeting aims to address what Siddiq describes as a “misunderstanding” surrounding corruption allegations tied to her family in Dhaka.
Siddiq recently stepped down from her ministerial role in the UK government, citing intense public scrutiny after Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) accused her and her mother of benefiting improperly from a land deal. Siddiq has strongly denied all allegations.
In a formal letter to Dr. Yunus, Siddiq labeled the accusations as “politically motivated” and part of a campaign targeting her due to her familial connection to Sheikh Hasina. “I am a UK citizen, born in London, and have served my constituents for over a decade,” she stated. She also clarified she holds no financial interests or property in Bangladesh.
According to Siddiq, her legal team has not received any official correspondence from the ACC, despite repeated attempts to engage with the commission. She accused the ACC of mishandling the process by sending notices to unrelated addresses in Dhaka while providing regular media updates on what she termed a baseless investigation.
Earlier this year, Siddiq voluntarily referred herself to the UK Adviser on Ministerial Standards, Laurie Magnus, who found no evidence of wrongdoing. However, Magnus recommended greater awareness of reputational risks linked to her background.
Despite being cleared, Siddiq resigned as Economic Secretary to the Treasury, expressing concern that ongoing media attention could undermine Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government.
The ACC’s investigation is part of a wider anti-corruption drive involving alleged misappropriation of billions of pounds during Hasina’s 15-year rule. The inquiry, reportedly prompted by political rival Bobby Hajjaj, led to a trial in absentia last week in Dhaka, implicating Hasina and members of her extended family.
While reports have circulated about a potential arrest warrant for Siddiq in Bangladesh, she maintains she has not received any legal notice.
“I trust you understand how important it is to prevent unfounded claims from derailing my work for the people I represent,” Siddiq wrote to Yunus, referring to her continued role as a backbench MP in the UK.
Her meeting request coincides with Yunus’s scheduled engagements in the UK, which include meetings with King Charles III and Prime Minister Starmer.
These developments come amid a sweeping crackdown by Bangladeshi authorities on figures associated with the former administration. Last month, the UK’s National Crime Agency froze nearly £90 million worth of high-end London properties allegedly tied to Hasina’s close associates.
Siddiq has insisted that she is the target of a “politically driven smear campaign” led by her aunt’s opponents.
