Sheikh Hasina, who maintained a firm grip on Bangladesh for over 15 years, went into exile five months ago following widespread public outrage.
The dramatic political shake-up in Bangladesh has reverberated in the United Kingdom, dealing a significant blow to the career of her niece, Tulip Siddiq, in London.
The four-time Labour MP has been caught up in a corruption scandal that jeopardized her role as city minister, where she was responsible for tackling corruption in UK financial markets.
The 42-year-old politician faced growing criticism in recent weeks and resigned late Tuesday night after an official investigation revealed her family’s ties to the deposed Hasina government posed “reputational risks” to the UK government.
Tulip, who secured her fourth consecutive term as MP for Hampstead and Highgate in northwest London, had been appointed to Keir Starmer’s cabinet. However, allegations surrounding her past overshadowed her political achievements.
Reports emerged in both Bangladesh and the UK, exposing Tulip’s alleged links to corruption and irregularities.
From receiving free flats in London to attending cricket matches without tickets, the scandals kept accumulating.
The situation worsened with revelations of multiple properties in London that were gifted to Tulip and her family members or provided rent-free.
These properties, it was alleged, were given by wealthy Bangladeshis with close ties to the Awami League and Hasina.
In Dhaka, Tulip’s name surfaced in an investigation into claims her family embezzled up to £3.9bn from the Russian-funded Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
As these reports unfolded, British media criticism of Tulip’s conduct intensified, amplifying calls for her resignation.
Editorials called for her to step down, urging the Prime Minister to act, while the opposition Conservatives also joined the chorus.
Chief Advisor Mohammad Yunus demanded Tulip’s resignation, along with several organizations.
Yunus remarked, “Tulip should return the properties if investigations prove that she benefitted from alleged plain robbery.”
Speaking to The Sunday Times, the interim prime minister criticized Tulip’s claims of innocence, highlighting the irony of her position as an anti-corruption minister amid serious allegations.
Amid growing scrutiny, the UK’s Anti-Corruption Coalition, which includes groups like Oxfam and Transparency International, urged Tulip to step down.
Hours before her resignation, Sir Laurie Magnus, Starmer’s ethics adviser, concluded that while Tulip had not breached the ministerial code, she had “inadvertently misled the public” about a flat in Kings Cross gifted to her in 2004 by a Bangladeshi property developer linked to the Awami League.
Magnus advised Starmer to reconsider Tulip’s ministerial responsibilities due to a perceived conflict of interest.
Shortly after Magnus’s findings were released, news of Tulip’s resignation broke.
Tulip announced her resignation on X (formerly Twitter), posting a picture of her resignation letter to the Prime Minister.
In her letter, Tulip wrote, “Although an investigation into my financial affairs found no breach of the ministerial code of conduct, my position is likely to be a distraction from the work of the government. I have therefore decided to resign from my ministerial position.”
Reacting to her resignation, Starmer said he accepted it “with sadness” and thanked her for her service, adding that “the door remains open” for her return.
He also reiterated that Magnus found no evidence of financial improprieties or breach of conduct on Tulip’s part.
However, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticized Starmer, accusing him of delaying action to protect Tulip.
“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,” Badenoch posted on X.
“Even now, as Bangladesh files a criminal case against Tulip Siddiq, he expresses ‘sadness’ at her inevitable resignation. Weak leadership from a weak prime minister.”
Magnus spent eight days investigating the allegations after Tulip referred herself to the ethics watchdog.
In his report, Magnus stated that Tulip “acknowledges that, over an extended period, she was unaware of the origins of her ownership of her flat in Kings Cross, despite having signed a Land Registry transfer form relating to the gift at the time.”
He noted that Tulip believed her parents had purchased the flat for her.
Regarding a photograph of Tulip with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant agreement in 2013, Magnus clarified, “It is clear that she had no role in the inter-state talks between Russia and Bangladesh.”
Tulip’s resignation is the second ministerial departure in two months, a setback for Starmer, whose approval ratings have dropped since Labour’s general election victory in July.
Labour MP Emma Reynolds, who previously served as a pensions minister, has been appointed as the new Economic Secretary to the Treasury.
Reynolds, an MP since 2010, returned to Parliament in 2024 after a stint as managing director at a financial services lobbying firm.
Allegations Against Tulip
Tulip Siddiq previously faced accusations of failing to disclose rental income from properties.
Although she avoided censure at the time, the political climate shifted after the Hasina government fell, and investigations began against her.
The allegations claim that billions of dollars obtained through bribery and irregularities were illegally siphoned off to foreign accounts.
The investigation into alleged corruption in the $5 billion Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project was spearheaded by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Tulip is accused of involvement in the 2013 Bangladesh-Russia nuclear deal, which allegedly involved embezzlement of massive sums.
She also faces scrutiny for her use of properties linked to Hasina’s associates in London, including a flat reportedly gifted to her sister by a lawyer connected to the Awami League.
Tulip herself received a £700,000 London flat from Abdul Motalif, a developer allegedly linked to Hasina.
Calls for Resignation
As city minister, Tulip Siddiq was tasked with addressing financial corruption, but the allegations against her intensified calls for her removal.
While Tulip denied any wrongdoing and referred herself to an independent body, media reports on her alleged involvement in corruption continued to mount.
Despite Prime Minister Starmer expressing confidence in her, the pressure for her resignation ultimately became insurmountable.
The UK’s Anti-Corruption Coalition also demanded that Tulip step aside, citing the importance of preserving trust in her ministerial duties.
In the end, the mounting allegations and criticism forced Tulip Siddiq to step down from her role.
