March 7, 2025
DHAKA – Tulip Siddiq, a British politician and former UK Treasury Minister, has recently come under intense scrutiny, leading to her resignation in the UK’s political landscape. This controversy has been linked to her familial connections within Bangladesh’s political scene and allegations that have severely impacted her career.
Siddiq began her political journey in 2010 as a councillor for Camden Council, representing Regent’s Park. She progressed to national politics, securing the parliamentary seat for Hampstead and Kilburn in 2015. Demonstrating dedication to her constituents and party, she was appointed as Economic Secretary to the Treasury in July 2024, a role commonly known as the City Minister. In this position, she was responsible for overseeing financial services and anti-corruption measures within the UK.
Siddiq is the niece of Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and leader of the Awami League, who was ousted in August after a mass uprising. Her tenure saw the persecution of opponents, including attacks, arrests, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings. She and her allies face accusations of embezzling billions from the country.
This family tie has remained a focal point throughout Siddiq’s career. In 2015, she attended an event organized by the Centre for Research and Information (CRI), a group linked to the Awami League and accused of spreading propaganda in support of Hasina’s government. At this event, Siddiq praised her aunt’s leadership, underscoring their close relationship.
The involvement of British police emerged after the National Crime Agency (NCA) visited in October of the previous year to assist the Bangladeshi government in recovering billions allegedly misappropriated by Hasina and her associates. The NCA investigates international bribery and corruption tied to the UK, examining individuals suspected of money laundering and other illegal activities involving UK nationals.
In December 2024, a few months after Hasina’s ouster, Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) launched an investigation into allegations that Siddiq and her aunt were involved in embezzling approximately £3.9 billion from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project, which began in 2013. This investigation was part of a larger probe into financial misconduct related to the former Awami League regime.
Siddiq’s London properties, linked to her aunt’s associates, also came under scrutiny, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest. Tory MPs urged Siddiq to resign after allegations emerged that she had misrepresented her ownership of a London flat. The Sunday Times reported that Moin Ghani, a Bangladeshi lawyer who represented Hasina’s government, transferred the property to Siddiq’s younger sister, Azmina, in 2009. Documents showed the transfer was made without any monetary consideration. Azmina sold the flat in 2021 for $650,000, and Tulip had used it as her address on official documents during her time as a director and trustee of various organizations.
Further investigations revealed that Siddiq’s mother, Sheikh Rehana (former PM Hasina’s sister), lives in a £1.2 million property in Golders Green, allegedly owned through an offshore trust controlled by Shayan Rahman, son of Salman F Rahman, a billionaire Bangladeshi politician and former adviser to Hasina. Rahman’s family has faced legal troubles since Hasina’s ousting, with his father currently in custody in Bangladesh.
Additionally, another Hampstead property, previously occupied by Siddiq’s mother and sister, was owned by Kazi Zafarullah, a senior Awami League member who was imprisoned for extortion in 2007. Zafarullah, implicated in offshore financial dealings, remains in prison.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, “dithered and delayed to protect” Siddiq. Writing on X (formerly known as Twitter), she said: “It was clear at the weekend that the anti-corruption minister’s position was completely untenable. Yet Keir Starmer dithered and delayed to protect his close friend.
Eventually, Siddiq resigned from her leadership role in the Labour Party after an ethics adviser determined that she had accidentally provided false information about the scandal. Her resignation marks a significant moment in British politics, as it reveals the complex intersection of personal and political ties, both within the UK and abroad. The scrutiny surrounding her family’s connections to the Bangladeshi political landscape, alongside corruption allegations, raises important questions about transparency and accountability in public office.