Latest news with #TulipSiddiq
India.com
5 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Tulip Siddiq is up against anti-India Muhammad Yunus...., what's her connection with Sheikh Hasina..., she is based in...
Tulip Siddiq is up against anti-India Muhammad Yunus...., what's her connection with Sheikh Hasina..., she is based in... Bangladesh's interim government chief and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been accused of interfering in British politics and damaging personal reputation. This allegation has been made by Tulip Siddiq, a British Labour Party MP and niece (sister's daughter) of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Tulip has accused Muhammad Yunus and Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of running a well-planned smear campaign against her motivated by 'political vendetta'. Who is Tulip Siddiq? Tulip Siddiq is the niece of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Tulip's mother, Sheikh Rehana, is Sheikh Hasina's younger sister. Thus, Tulip and Sheikh Hasina have a mother-daughter and sisterly family relationship. Tulip Siddiq, who lives in London, resigned as Britain's finance minister earlier this year after corruption allegations against her family. She represents the ruling Labour Party from the Hampstead and Highgate constituency of the British capital. Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched an investigation against Siddiq in connection with the previous government led by Sheikh Hasina. Hasina's government was ousted last year following massive protests led by students. 'It is time for the Chief Adviser (Yunus) and the ACC to stop their completely false and unlawful campaign to malign Siddiq's reputation and interfere with his public service,' said the letter sent by Siddiq's lawyers to Yunus. According to Sky News, Siddiq's legal team claims the interim leader has been unfairly biased in the investigation against him. Siddiq had requested a meeting with Yunus during his visit to the UK earlier this month, which the Chief Adviser rejected.
Sky News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Tulip Siddiq: Innocent bystander or beneficiary of grand corruption?
A beneficiary of grand corruption waged by a repressive regime? Or an innocent bystander caught in political crossfire from a country five thousand miles away? Those are the questions at the core of an extraordinary argument that's been raging for months between the Labour MP Tulip Siddiq and the authorities in Bangladesh. Key to understanding this tangled tale is understanding both the recent history of Bangladesh and how Ms Siddiq's family is woven into it. Politics in the country was turned on its head last August after weeks of deadly protests triggered the ousting of longstanding prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League regime. From there, a temporary government took charge led by an interim leader - or 'Chief Adviser' - the Nobel Prize-winning economist Professor Muhammad Yunus. He pledged to begin legal proceedings to investigate crimes and human rights abuses allegedly committed under the previous regime and recover wealth that had been reportedly taken out of the country. In March, my colleague Cordelia Lynch and who was clear about where the blame lay. "Everybody was involved in it all," he said. "The whole government was involved in it." He vowed action against Sheikh Hasina and those close to her. Which is where Ms Siddiq enters the story. As well as being the niece of the former prime minister, she is also the granddaughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman - the founding president of modern Bangladesh. Tulip Siddiq's mother Sheikh Rehana has also been intimately involved in Bangladeshi politics and was reportedly by the side of her sister Sheikh Hasina when she fled Dhaka and resigned last August. So these are not tangential or loose links. And they - to an extent - explain why the Bangladeshi authorities are going after the Labour MP so vociferously. In short, they see her as part of an establishment that they believe pilfered and abused Bangladesh for two decades. So is this political guilt by association - in other words, a "vendetta" as Tulip Siddiq puts it - or is there substance to any of the allegations? Some of the claims certainly stretch believability and appear very political in nature. For instance, stories about her benefitting from billions of pounds siphoned off from a Russian nuclear deal appear to have emanated from a dubious-looking American website which also used an AI-generated image of Ms Siddiq to accompany their 'reporting'. The claims spread after a political opponent of Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh filed a court claim off the back of them - allowing mainstream UK news outlets to safely report on the story. Other accusations around the allocation of land are potentially more plausible, but as yet no hard evidence has emerged to back up the claims. There are some parts of this story that look trickier for Ms Siddiq though. Property documentation does show links between her and associates of the Awami League. The Bangladeshi authorities argue this means the Labour MP may have - even unknowingly - benefitted from wealth corruptly taken out of the country and used to purchase flats and houses in the UK. Ms Siddiq says this has been looked at by the Number 10 ethics adviser and found to be in order. Briefing from sources close to the MP also suggests a defence that these property links were born out of regular family relationships rather than anything more political or financial in nature. But a photo of Ms Siddiq in the Kremlin with her aunt in 2013 as well as the fact that she thanked Awami League supporters after her 2015 election suggests a more political context. That said, disentangling politics and family when you are descended from one-time political royalty and standing as an MP in a city with a large Asian community may be easier said than done. The Number 10 probe did suggest she should have been more mindful of the possible reputational damage done by these connections. So this is a saga shaped more by Bangladeshi politics than British politics. A country getting to grips with its past and preparing for the future, but producing side effects in the process that are reaching these shores.
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Tulip Siddiq calls Bangladeshi corruption investigation ‘smear campaign'
Tulip Siddiq has accused the interim leader of Bangladesh of conducting an 'orchestrated campaign' to damage her reputation. The former anti-corruption minister, who was forced to resign earlier this year following corruption allegations, said Professor Muhammad Yunus is 'interfering with UK politics'. The Labour MP also claimed comments he made in a Sky News interview have prejudiced her right to a fair investigation, and called for the ongoing corruption inquiries into her to be dropped. Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has opened several investigations into Ms Siddiq alleging corruption in connection with the government of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted as the country's prime minister last year. In March, Prof Yunus told Sky News that Ms Siddiq 'has so many (sic) wealth left behind here' and 'should be made responsible'. As the chief adviser of Bangladesh, he is effectively the country's interim leader. In correspondence sent to Prof Yunus and the ACC, lawyers for the former minister wrote: 'The time has now come for the chief adviser and the ACC to abandon their wholly misconceived and unlawful campaign to smear Ms Siddiq's reputation and interfere with her public service.' Bangladeshi authorities previously said they have evidence to back up their claims of corruption and will pursue action through the country's courts. Ms Siddiq told Sky News: 'I will not be allowing them to drag me into their world of dirty politics and nothing is going to stop me from pursuing the job that I was elected to do with an overwhelming majority, which is representing the people of Hampstead and Highgate. 'So they need to stop this political vendetta, this smear campaign, and this malicious persecution right from the beginning.' The MP had requested a meeting with the Bangladeshi leader during an official visit to the UK earlier this month to 'clear up' any misunderstandings. But he turned her down, saying he did not want to 'interrupt a legal procedure'. In the new legal letter, lawyers for Ms Siddiq say the interim leader had already unfairly influenced the inquiries through previous comments. 'The copious briefings to the media, the failure to respond to our letters, the failure to even ask to meet with and question Ms Siddiq during their recent visit to the United Kingdom are impossible to justify and completely inconsistent with a fair, lawful and serious investigation,' reads the letter. Party banned from elections The correspondence also sets a deadline of 30 June 2025 for the Bangladeshi authorities to reply, stating that 'in the absence of a full and proper response… Ms Siddiq will consider this matter closed'. Last month, Prof Yunus banned the Awami League - the political party still led by Sheikh Hasina - from standing in the coming elections. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Ms Siddiq had lived in several London properties that had links to the Awami League. She referred herself to the prime minister's standards adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, who said he had 'not identified evidence of improprieties', but added it was 'regrettable' that Ms Siddiq had not been more alert to the 'potential reputational risks' of the ties to her aunt. Ms Siddiq said continuing in her role would be 'a distraction' for the government, but insisted she had done nothing wrong.
Sky News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Tulip Siddiq: Labour MP accuses Bangladesh's leader of 'orchestrated campaign' to damage her reputation
Former minister Tulip Siddiq has accused the leader of Bangladesh of conducting an "orchestrated campaign" to damage her reputation and "interfere with UK politics", according to a new legal letter seen by Sky News. The Labour MP also said comments made by Professor Muhammad Yunus in a Sky News interview have prejudiced her right to a fair investigation, meaning the ongoing corruption inquiries into her should be dropped. In March, the chief adviser - who is effectively the country's interim leader - told Sky News that Ms Siddiq "has so many (sic) wealth left behind here" and "should be made responsible". 8:10 Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has opened several investigations into Ms Siddiq alleging corruption in connection with the government of her aunt Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted as the country's prime minister last year. In the new correspondence sent today to Professor Yunus and the ACC, lawyers for the former minister write: "The time has now come for the chief adviser and the ACC to abandon their wholly misconceived and unlawful campaign to smear Ms Siddiq's reputation and interfere with her public service." Sky News has approached the chief adviser and the ACC for comment. The Bangladeshi authorities have previously said they have evidence to back up their claims of corruption and will pursue action through the country's courts. 2:35 Speaking to Sky News on Monday, Ms Siddiq said: "I will not be allowing them to drag me into their world of dirty politics and nothing is going to stop me from pursuing the job that I was elected to do with an overwhelming majority, which is representing the people of Hampstead and Highgate. "So they need to stop this political vendetta, this smear campaign, and this malicious persecution right from the beginning." The MP had requested a meeting with the Bangladeshi leader during an official visit to the UK earlier this month to "clear up" any misunderstandings. But this was turned down by the chief adviser, who said he did not want to "interrupt a legal procedure". 0:29 In the new legal letter, lawyers for Ms Siddiq say the interim leader had already unfairly influenced the inquiries through previous comments. "The copious briefings to the media, the failure to respond to our letters, the failure to even ask to meet with and question Ms Siddiq during their recent visit to the United Kingdom are impossible to justify and completely inconsistent with a fair, lawful and serious investigation," reads the letter. The correspondence also sets a deadline of 30 June 2025 for the Bangladeshi authorities to reply by, stating that "in the absence of a full and proper response… Ms Siddiq will consider this matter closed". A former Nobel Prize winning economist, Professor Muhammad Yunus became interim leader of Bangladesh last August after weeks of deadly protests forced Sheikh Hasina from power. He has pledged to root out corruption and recover alleged stolen wealth before holding votes to elect a permanent administration. 0:47 Last month, Professor Yunus banned the Awami League - the political party still led by Sheikh Hasina - from standing in the coming elections. That led to criticism from those still loyal to the former prime minister, with protests also sparking in the country over jobs, pay and planned reforms. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Tulip Siddiq had lived in several London properties that had links back to the Awami League. She referred herself to the prime minister's standards adviser Sir Laurie Magnus who said he had "not identified evidence of improprieties" but added it was "regrettable" Ms Siddiq had not been more alert to the "potential reputational risks" of the ties to her aunt. Ms Siddiq said continuing in her role would be "a distraction" for the government but insisted she had done nothing wrong. Sheikh Hasina is currently standing trial in absentia in Dhaka over alleged killings during last summer's civil unrest. Asked by Sky News if she had any regrets about links to the Awami league, Ms Siddiq said: "The main thing I would say to you, I'm very proud to be the MP for Hampstead and Highgate. I was born in London, I grew up in London. I went to school here and now I'm an MP here." In March, Sky News revealed that UK investigators could assist with probes into alleged grand corruption during Hasina's time in power. Staff from the National Crime Agency visited Bangladesh in October and November as part of initial work to support the interim government in the country. Last month, the NCA confirmed it had secured a "freezing order" against a property in north London linked to Ms Siddiq's family. She denies all the allegations - and sources close to the MP say the authorities have been sending correspondence to an address in Dhaka that has no connection with her.
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Bangladesh leader declines to meet Tulip Siddiq
Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus has refused to meet Labour MP Tulip Siddiq to discuss corruption allegations against her during his visit to told the BBC the allegations were a "court matter" and said he had confidence in Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which is investigating ACC has accused Siddiq of illegally receiving land from the regime of her aunt Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted as Bangladesh's prime minister last a former Treasury minister, has denied the allegations and accused the Bangladeshi authorities of a "politically motivated smear campaign". In a letter, Siddiq requested a meeting with Yunus, a Nobel-prize winning economist who has led an interim government in Bangladesh since a student-led protest movement toppled Hasina from said a meeting "might also help clear up the misunderstanding perpetuated by the Anti-Corruption Commission in Dhaka".In an interview with the BBC, Yunus was asked whether he would meet Siddiq during his four-day visit to the UK this week."No I'm not because it's a legal procedure," Yunus said. "I don't want to interrupt a legal procedure. Let the procedure continue."Siddiq has argued Bangladeshi authorities have not provided any evidence to back up their allegations and refuse to engage with her to those arguments, Yunus said: "It's a court matter."A court will decide if enough materials are available to pursue the case or cancel it".When asked if prosecutors in Bangladesh needed to be more transparent and provide evidence of wrongdoing to Siddiq, Yunus said: "As chief adviser I have full confidence in our Anti-Corruption Commission and they are doing the right thing."On the question of whether he would seek Siddiq's extradition if she was found guilty of any crimes in Bangladesh, Yunus said: "If it is part of the legal procedure, of course." 'Fantasy accusations' In a statement, Siddiq said she was disappointed Yunus had refused to meet said: "He's been at the heart of a political vendetta based on fantasy accusations with no evidence relentlessly briefed to the media."If this was a serious legal process they would engage with my lawyers rather than sending bogus correspondence to an address in Dhaka where I have never lived."I hope he is now serious about ending the practice of smearing me in the press and allowing the courts to establish that their investigations have nothing to do with me - a British citizen and a proud member of the UK Parliament."Siddiq quit her ministerial post earlier this year, following an investigation into the allegations by the prime minister's ethics adviser, Sir Laurie his report, Sir Laurie said he had "not identified evidence of improprieties".But he said it was "regrettable" that Siddiq had not been more alert to the "potential reputational risks" of her ties to her aunt, who is leader of Awami League party in authorities estimate that about $234bn (£174bn) was siphoned off from Bangladesh through corrupt means while Hasina was in Bangladeshi authorities allege that much of this money has been stashed or spent in the UK. Yunus said he had not been able to arrange a meeting with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, a close friend and constituency neighbour of said: "I don't know whether I should be disappointed or he should be disappointed. It's a missed opportunity."That's why I'm saying coming to Bangladesh would be a good opportunity to relax and see and feel the moment."When asked if Downing Street had given a reason for not scheduling a meeting with Starmer, he said: "I don't think we have received an explanation from that kind of thing. Probably he is busy with other important things."A Downing Street spokesperson did not Yunus did have an audience with King Charles at Buckingham Palace and met Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds in a post on X, Reynolds said they discussed "our shared ambitions for economic growth, job creation and prosperity".Some anti-Yunus protesters from the Bangladeshi community in the UK gathered on Parliament Square during his said Bangladesh's interim government had hired lawyers to try to recover any allegedly stolen funds from the said the UK government was "extremely supportive" of this effort."I have a lot of admiration for the promptness with which they're treating the whole subject," Yunus BBC understands the International Anti-Corruption Co-ordination Centre (IACCC) is exploring opportunities to assist Bangladesh's interim government and its law enforcement agencies in their efforts to investigate allegations of corruption under Hasina's IACCC is hosted by the National Crime Agency in NCA spokesperson said: "The NCA does not routinely comment on the nature of international assistance, nor confirm or deny if the Agency has opened an investigation or is supporting a partner's investigation."
