An arrest warrant has been issued in Bangladesh for former City minister Tulip Siddiq, who is now facing new allegations of unlawfully acquiring a plot of land from her aunt, the deposed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Reports from Bangladeshi media indicate that a judge has issued this warrant for 53 individuals associated with Hasina, including Siddiq. It is important to note that there is currently no formal extradition agreement between the United Kingdom and Bangladesh.
In response to the allegations, Siddiq’s representative has firmly stated that there is “no basis at all for any charges to be made against her,” asserting that the claims regarding her illegal acquisition of land in Dhaka are entirely unfounded. The Member of Parliament for Hampstead and Highgate has consistently denied any corruption allegations related to her aunt’s former government and has characterized the actions of Bangladeshi authorities as a “targeted and baseless” campaign against her.
Siddiq stepped down from her position as economic secretary to the Treasury in January, expressing concerns that her situation could become a distraction and negatively impact the government amid the controversy surrounding her use of properties provided to her and her family by associates of Hasina’s regime. Keir Starmer’s ethics adviser concluded that Siddiq had not violated any rules regarding her property usage and found no evidence suggesting that her assets were obtained through illegitimate means. However, Laurie Magnus did note a lack of documentation and indicated that the passage of time had hindered his ability to gain complete assurance regarding all property-related matters in the UK.
