Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has issued an arrest warrant for Tulip Siddiq, the British Labour MP and former Treasury minister, as part of a sweeping investigation into alleged graft during the rule of her aunt, ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The warrant names Siddiq alongside more than 50 others accused of illicitly acquiring land and embezzling public funds.
Siddiq, the MP for Hampstead and Highgate, who resigned as economic secretary in January, has dismissed the charges as “politically motivated.” Her legal team claims the ACC has provided no evidence or prior notice of the warrant. Under UK extradition laws, Bangladesh is classified as a “2B” country, meaning strong evidence is required for any legal action.
The ACC’s probe centers on allegations that Hasina’s administration siphoned off up to £3.9 billion from infrastructure projects. A complaint by Bobby Hajjaj, a political rival of Hasina, accuses Siddiq of involvement in a 2013 deal with Russia that allegedly inflated costs for a nuclear power plant.
Before stepping down, Siddiq voluntarily referred herself to the UK Prime Minister’s ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, who found no evidence of wrongdoing but criticized her for failing to mitigate “reputational risks” tied to her family connections. Hasina, leader of Bangladesh’s Awami League, was deposed in August amid widespread unrest.
Siddiq’s legal team maintains the case is an attempt to target her due to her familial ties, stressing that the ACC has ignored their rebuttals. The UK government has yet to comment on the extradition implications.
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