Tulip Siddiq, former UK city minister and niece of ousted Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, has requested a meeting with Bangladesh Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus during his visit to London next week in a bid to clear up what she calls a “misunderstanding” surrounding a series of corruption allegations linked to her family in Dhaka.Tulip also resigned from her post in the UK government. Her decision followed mounting pressure over allegations made by the Bangladesh Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) that she or her mother improperly benefited from a land deal in Bangladesh—accusations Siddiq denies entirely.
In a letter addressed to Yunus—Nobel Laureate and newly appointed interim head of government—Siddiq wrote that the allegations were “politically motivated” and part of a wider campaign targeting her due to her familial connection to the former Bangladeshi leader.
“I am a UK citizen, born in London, and have served my constituents in Hampstead and Highgate for the past decade,” Siddiq wrote, adding that she holds no property or business interests in Bangladesh.
She also stated that her lawyers have received no formal communication from the ACC, and that attempts to engage with the commission have gone unanswered. “The ACC continues to send letters to a random address in Dhaka while briefing the media on each step of a baseless investigation,” she claimed.
Siddiq was cleared of any wrongdoing by the UK’s Adviser on Ministerial Standards, Laurie Magnus, earlier this year after she voluntarily referred herself for inquiry. Magnus found no evidence of financial impropriety but noted that she should have been more aware of the reputational risks stemming from her family ties in Bangladesh.
Despite her exoneration in the UK, Siddiq stepped down as Economic Secretary to the Treasury, citing the growing media storm and its potential to distract from Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s newly formed government.
The ACC’s allegations are part of a wider probe into alleged embezzlement of billions of pounds during Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year tenure, reportedly triggered by claims made by political rival Bobby Hajjaj.
A trial in absentia began in Dhaka last week, implicating Hasina and members of her extended family in crimes against humanity and large-scale corruption.
Reports have also suggested that a warrant was issued in Bangladesh for Siddiq’s arrest—though she insists she has received no official notice of any legal proceedings.
“I know you’ll appreciate how important it is to ensure these unfounded reports do not become a distraction from the critical work of doing my very best for my constituents and my country,” she wrote in her letter to Yunus.
Her request for a direct meeting with the Bangladeshi leader comes as Yunus prepares for high-level engagements in the UK, including meetings with King Charles and Prime Minister Starmer.
The developments follow a broader crackdown by Bangladeshi authorities on associates of the former regime. Just last month, the UK’s National Crime Agency froze nearly £90 million worth of luxury London properties linked to individuals close to Sheikh Hasina.
Siddiq, who continues to serve as a backbench MP, maintains that she is the victim of a “smear campaign” orchestrated by her aunt’s political opponents in Bangladesh.