Tulip Siddiq Denies Allegations of Corruption Amid Political Controversy in Bangladesh

Tulip Siddiq, former Labour minister and niece of Sheikh Hasina, has accused Bangladeshi authorities of launching a baseless campaign against her regarding alleged financial irregularities linked to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Her lawyers have called for an immediate cessation of these allegations, asserting her lack of involvement and challenging the credibility of the claims. The ACC chairman has expressed a differing view, suggesting credible evidence exists for an investigation.

Former Labour minister Tulip Siddiq, who is also the niece of Sheikh Hasina, has accused the Bangladeshi authorities of initiating a “targeted and baseless” smear campaign against her. She has called for an immediate cessation of what she termed as damaging allegations concerning her involvement in financial irregularities related to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, developed with Russian support.

In a letter to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bangladesh, Siddiq’s legal team from Stephenson Harwood insisted that she played no role in the nuclear deal, despite being photographed at its signing in Kremlin in 2013. The letter expressed, “It is not uncommon for family members to be invited to accompany Heads of State on state visits.”

The lawyers also refuted claims that a £700,000 flat in London’s King’s Cross, gifted to Siddiq in 2004, was linked to embezzlement, arguing the accusations were “absurd” given that the flat was acquired a decade prior to the nuclear deal. Siddiq’s family background includes her father, a university professor in Dhaka, and her mother, who was granted political asylum in the UK due to her relation to Sheikh Hasina.

Siddiq resigned from her role as economic secretary to the Treasury in January, in which she tackled corruption in the UK’s financial sector. In response to the controversy, ACC chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen commented to the BBC that the allegations were neither targeted nor baseless, asserting that the investigation was substantiated by documentary evidence of corruption. He encouraged Siddiq to defend her case with legal representation.

The situation escalated when the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh insinuated, in a televised interview, that Siddiq might be implicated in embezzlement concerning the Rooppur project and suggested she might be summoned for questioning. The ACC also claimed they were seriously investigating Siddiq’s potential wealth in Bangladesh, which prompted Siddiq’s legal team to deny these accusations vigorously, noting no case exists against her. They characterized the allegations as false and merely an attempt to damage her reputation.

Siddiq’s lawyers further stated, “Siddiq has no wealth left behind in Bangladesh, and no evidence has been provided to support any of the allegations. The claims made by the Chief Adviser are false and designed to create unwarranted publicity.” The allegations were largely rooted in a February 2025 ACC media note alleging $5 billion in financial irregularities linked to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project, implicating Siddiq and other notable figures in offshore banking misconduct.

In conclusion, Tulip Siddiq has firmly rejected allegations made by Bangladeshi authorities, asserting that the accusations of financial misconduct associated with the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant are unfounded and part of a targeted attack on her character. Her legal representatives have called for an immediate halt to these claims, emphasizing her lack of involvement and the absence of evidence to substantiate the allegations. Siddiq maintains her innocence as the allegations continue to unfold amidst broader political skirmishes.

Original Source: www.newindianexpress.com