Tulip Siddiq Slams ‘Baseless’ Corruption Allegations from Bangladesh
Former Labour minister Tulip Siddiq has strongly criticized the Bangladeshi authorities, calling the corruption allegations against her a “targeted and baseless” campaign.
In a letter to Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), her legal team dismissed the claims as “false and vexatious,” pointing out that she has never been formally questioned despite the accusations being widely reported in the media.
Siddiq, who previously served as the UK’s economic secretary to the Treasury, resigned in January amid the controversy. While maintaining her innocence, she stepped down to avoid becoming a “distraction” to the government.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, a close ally, accepted her resignation with a letter reassuring that the “door remains open” for her return.
The corruption claims are linked to her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the former prime minister of Bangladesh, who is being investigated for allegedly embezzling £3.9bn from infrastructure projects. The case is driven by accusations from political rival Bobby Hajjaj, who claims Siddiq played a role in a 2013 deal with Russia that inflated the cost of a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.
Siddiq had voluntarily referred herself to the UK’s ethics watchdog when the allegations emerged. The investigation found “no evidence of improprieties” but noted she should have been more cautious about reputational risks due to her family ties.
Despite the controversy, Siddiq remains firm in rejecting the allegations, labeling them as politically motivated attacks.