British Minister Resigns Amid Corruption Allegations in Bangladesh

British Minister Tulip Siddiq announced her resignation on Tuesday from Keir Starmer’s government after her name surfaced in investigations by Bangladesh into corruption, targeting her aunt, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, according to the French Press Agency.

Tulip Siddiq, who serves as the British Minister of State for Financial Services, confirmed in her resignation letter that she had acted with “full transparency,” and felt that remaining in office would distract from the work of the Labour Party government.

In late December, Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission announced that it had opened an investigation into the potential embezzlement of $5 billion by Sheikh Hasina and her family related to a nuclear power plant deal with Russia.

The same commission announced on Monday the opening of another investigation into Sheikh Hasina and her relatives over land acquisitions in the suburbs of Dhaka.

Among the suspects in these cases is Sheikh Hasina’s niece, Tulip Siddiq.

Bangladesh money-laundering investigators ordered the country’s major banks to disclose transaction details related to Siddiq as part of the investigation.

In her resignation letter, Siddiq emphasized that her loyalty had always been to the Labour Party’s government and the “national renewal and transformation program” it had started. She added: “Therefore, I have decided to resign from my ministerial position.”

Starmer thanked Siddiq for her work, saying, “No evidence of financial misconduct has been found on your part.” He added: “I appreciate that in order to stop the ongoing distraction from implementing our agenda to change Britain, you made a difficult decision, and I want to make it clear that the door remains open for you to advance.”

In addition to her ministerial position, Siddiq was elected as an MP for a London constituency.

British newspapers revealed in early January that Tulip Siddiq (42 years old) was living in a London apartment obtained by a businessman with ties to the Awami League party, which is led by Sheikh Hasina. It was noted that she had previously lived in another apartment in London, purchased by a lawyer who defended her aunt.

Newspapers reported that Siddiq and her family had acquired several other properties in London, or used properties bought by members of the Awami League or their partners.