Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has issued an arrest warrant for British Labour MP Tulip Siddiq over allegations of corruption. The charges revolve around claims that Siddiq illegally acquired a 7,200-square-foot plot of land in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital. These allegations are reportedly separate from an ongoing investigation into her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the former Bangladeshi prime minister, regarding a nuclear power plant deal in which Siddiq has also been implicated. Lawyers representing Siddiq have dismissed the claims as “completely false” and “politically motivated,” asserting there is no basis for any charges against her.

Siddiq resigned from her position as a Treasury minister earlier this year following scrutiny by the UK Prime Minister's ethics adviser into her ties to Sheikh Hasina’s regime, which was ousted last year amid protests. Although the ethics adviser concluded that Siddiq did not breach the Ministerial Code, concerns were raised about the reputational risks stemming from her family’s association with Bangladesh. In response, Siddiq stepped down, stating she had become a “distraction” to the government’s agenda. She has consistently denied any wrongdoing and claimed she has not been contacted directly by Bangladeshi authorities regarding the allegations.

The ACC has reportedly not communicated with Siddiq or her legal team directly about the charges, despite issuing statements through media outlets over recent months. Her lawyers have demanded formal questions from the ACC by March 2025 to address the accusations but have received no response. They maintain that Siddiq has no knowledge of any hearing in Dhaka or arrest warrant issued against her. The interim Bangladeshi leadership has alleged that Siddiq left behind wealth in the country and should be held accountable.

The allegations against Siddiq have drawn attention due to her familial ties to Sheikh Hasina, who led Bangladesh for two decades before being forced to flee last year amid accusations of autocracy and politically motivated arrests. Hasina has described these claims as a political witch hunt. Siddiq’s legal representatives continue to assert that the accusations are baseless and part of a broader campaign targeting her family’s legacy in Bangladesh.