Desk Report:
A corruption case against British Labour MP Tulip Siddique is pending in Bangladesh in her absence. She had also obtained a Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card (NID) in the past. In response to such claims by the relevant authorities in Dhaka, the UK-based The Times said that the statements Tulip had made in the past directly contradicted the new information.
In a joint investigative report with a Bangladeshi media outlet (Prothom Alo) on Thursday (September 18), The Times mentioned that Tulip Siddique obtained a Bangladeshi passport in London in September 2001. She was 19 years old at the time. She also obtained a Bangladeshi national identity card in January 2011. The relevant records were also found in the databases of the Bangladesh Passport Office and the Election Commission. In both cases, her permanent address was mentioned as a house in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, which is owned by her aunt, ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Bangladeshi citizenship issue
According to the law, children born in Bangladesh or born to Bangladeshi parents automatically obtain citizenship. Tulip Siddique was born in Britain, but her parents are both Bangladeshi, so she has dual citizenship. However, she has often publicly identified herself as British. In an interview in 2017, she said, “I am a British MP, I am not Bangladeshi.”
Corruption case and political links
Tulip Siddique is currently facing a corruption case in Bangladesh. It is alleged that she used the influence of her aunt Sheikh Hasina to allocate land for her mother and siblings. However, Tulip has denied this allegation and called the case “political persecution.”
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) prosecutor Mohammad Tariqul Islam told The Times that Tulip’s passport, NID and tax ID records have been found. ACC Chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen has also confirmed the authenticity of the documents. The Election Commission has also checked this information.
Political Background
When Tulip was issued her Bangladeshi NID and passport in 2011, she also attended government events in Dhaka. She was seen in various meetings and events with her aunt Sheikh Hasina. She even accompanied Hasina to the UN General Assembly and her visit to Moscow.
Resignation and Reaction in Britain
In January 2024, Tulip Siddique resigned from her post as the UK’s Anti-Corruption Minister. Investigations revealed that her family’s connections in Bangladeshi politics were putting the Labour government at risk of reputational damage. However, she retained the support of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Tulip claimed that she resigned to protect the government’s image and could one day return to the cabinet.
Still adamant
A statement from Tulip Siddique’s spokesperson said that for almost a year, the Bangladeshi authorities have not been able to produce any reliable evidence against her. Rather, documents are being forged for political purposes, implicating her. British government adviser Sir Laurie Magnus also claimed to have exonerated her.
However, the debate over Tulip Siddique’s citizenship and political responsibilities has intensified after new information was released about her Bangladeshi passport and NID. Repeated denial of identity
According to The Times, Tulip Siddique has repeatedly claimed that she has not received any Bangladeshi identity card and has not held a passport since childhood. In August, her lawyer Stephenson Harwood also told the Financial Times, “Tulip has never received a Bangladeshi national identity card or voter ID.” However, after the new documents about these identities were released, she and her party (Labor Party) called it “politically motivated propaganda”. They claim that these documents are fake and that the Bangladeshi authorities are conspiring to tarnish her reputation.
