Bangladesh issues arrest warrant for UK MP Tulip Siddiq amid corruption probe linked to Sheikh Hasina regime

British MP Tulip Siddiq, niece of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is at the centre of a fast-unfolding international controversy after Bangladeshi authorities issued an arrest warrant for her in connection with an ongoing corruption investigation.

The country’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has named Siddiq—former economic secretary to the UK Treasury and Labour MP for Hampstead and Highgate—as a suspect in a wider probe targeting the Hasina regime, which was ousted from power in August 2024.

What are the allegations?

The ACC alleges that Siddiq illegally benefited from land allocations and played a role in brokering an overinflated deal with Russia for a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh back in 2013. The broader investigation accuses Hasina and her family of embezzling up to £3.9 billion from infrastructure projects during her tenure.

Court documents, as seen by the BBC, cite political opponent Bobby Hajjaj as the source of the allegations. He claims Siddiq helped facilitate the nuclear deal and received improper financial benefits—including a plot of land in Dhaka.

What does Siddiq say?

Siddiq has strongly denied all charges through her legal team at Stephenson Harwood. They described the arrest warrant as "politically motivated" and insisted she has never received or held any land in Bangladesh.

“The ACC has not responded to Siddiq or put any allegations to her directly or through her lawyers,” the firm said. “She knows nothing about a hearing in Dhaka or any arrest warrant.”

Before stepping down from her ministerial post in January, Siddiq had referred herself to the UK prime minister’s ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, for a review. Magnus concluded there was no evidence of impropriety but noted it was “regrettable” that Siddiq had not considered the reputational risk of her familial ties.

What does Bangladesh’s ACC say?

ACC chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen rejected the idea that the probe is politically driven. In comments to the BBC, he said: “The allegations are by no means targeted or baseless. Our investigation is based on documentary evidence of corruption.”

He invited Siddiq to return to Bangladesh and defend herself, stating: “Tulip Siddiq must not shy away from the court proceedings… with the best possible legal support accompanying her.”

He also pushed back against claims that the ACC was interfering in British politics, calling the investigation and media briefings “professional and accurate.”

Will the UK extradite her?

The UK classifies Bangladesh as a "2B" extradition country. That means extradition is possible but subject to strict legal standards, including the presentation of clear and credible evidence. Any decision would ultimately lie with UK courts and ministers.

At present, no formal extradition request has been reported, and Siddiq’s legal team maintains that she has not been officially informed of the warrant.

The political backdrop

Tulip Siddiq, who was elected in 2015, is widely known in the UK for her progressive politics and her prominent role in the Labour Party. Her familial connection to Sheikh Hasina, who led Bangladesh for nearly two decades, is now being scrutinized in the wake of the former prime minister's fall from power amid mounting corruption allegations.

The situation raises complex questions about transnational accountability, political rivalry in Bangladesh, and the intersection of family, power, and legal responsibility. For now, Siddiq remains defiant, calling the accusations baseless—and the political fallout is only beginning.