uk-mp-tulip-siddiq-slams-bangladesh-trial-as-political-vendetta

United Kingdom Labour Party MP Tulip Siddiq has denounced the ongoing corruption trial against her in Bangladesh as a “farce,” alleging it is based on “fabricated accusations” and driven by a “political vendetta” of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.

 

Her remarks came after proceedings began in a Dhaka court on Wednesday, charging Tulip, her aunt, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her mother, Sheikh Rehana, her brother, Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, and her sister, Azmina Siddiq, with alleged irregularities in the allocation of Purbachal New Town plots.

 

“The so-called trial now underway in Dhaka is nothing more than a farce – built on fabricated accusations and driven by a clear political vendetta. Over the past year, the allegations against me have repeatedly shifted, yet I have never been contacted by the Bangladeshi authorities once,” Tulip said in a post on X.

 

She said Bangladeshi authorities had never issued a court summons, sent any official notice, or presented any evidence, yet she was being charged with false cases.

 

“I have never received a court summons, no official communication, and no evidence. If this were a genuine legal process, the authorities would have engaged with me or my legal team, responded to our formal correspondence, and presented the evidence they claim to hold,” the British parliamentarian stated.

 

Tulip accused the Yunus-led authorities of peddling “false and vexatious allegations” that had been briefed to the media but never formally presented to her by investigators.

 

She added that her offer to meet Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus during his recent visit to London was declined, calling the conduct “wholly incompatible” with the principles of a fair trial upheld in the UK.

 

“I have been clear from the outset that I have done nothing wrong and will respond to any credible evidence that is presented to me. Continuing to smear my name to score political points is both baseless and damaging,” she said.

 

Analysts view the developments as part of a broader political vendetta pursued by the Yunus regime, noting that several cases were filed against Hasina, her family members, and officials from her tenure on what they describe as frivolous grounds immediately following her ouster in August 2024.