Tulip's Ties to Hasina's Regime Under Scrutiny, Reports The Guardian

Channel 4's chief correspondent, Alex Thomson, questioned Siddiq about intervening in the case, to which she angrily responded, "Are you aware that I am a British MP and that I was born in London? Are you implying that I’m a Bangladeshi? Because I don’t think that’s the right thing to imply."

Despite her insistence that she has little involvement with her aunt’s now-deposed government in Dhaka, Siddiq, who holds the UK’s anti-corruption portfolio, is now facing increased pressure over her ties to those linked to the regime. According to The Guardian, she is being asked to explain the source of her wealth, including properties she has benefited from, allegedly paid for by individuals connected to the Awami League, her aunt’s political party.

In response, Tulip Siddiq has referred herself to Laurie Magnus, the prime minister's independent adviser on ministerial standards, to determine if she has violated the ministerial code. Critics, however, argue that Siddiq’s attempt to distance herself from her family’s controversial political ties fails to address her deeper connections to the Awami League.

"Siddiq’s position is that she has no relationship with the Awami League or Bangladeshi politics, but the truth is she has been a major beneficiary of the party," said David Bergman, a Dhaka-based investigative journalist.

Transparency International’s Rose Whiffen added, "Since Sheikh Hasina's fall from power, there has been greater scrutiny over the support Tulip Siddiq received from senior Awami League figures. The investigation into her property dealings could shed light on any potential conflicts of interest or breaches of the ministerial code."

When Hasina assumed office in 2009, Siddiq was actively involved in her aunt’s political activities, working for the Awami League’s UK and EU lobbying team, even appearing as a spokesperson on BBC World News. At the time, Hasina’s leadership was seen as promising for Bangladesh, and her party was not yet embroiled in the scandals that would later emerge.

Despite climbing the ranks of British politics, Siddiq continued to maintain ties with the Awami League. In 2013, she was photographed with her aunt meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Bangladeshi authorities are reportedly investigating whether she played a role in facilitating an allegedly overpriced power plant deal with the Russians that may have benefitted her family financially.

In 2015, Siddiq attended an Awami League rally in the UK shortly after being elected to parliament. At the rally, Hasina publicly credited her niece’s support in helping her secure her British MP position. "Had it not been for your help, I would never have been able to stand here as a British MP," Hasina said.

Despite her repeated claims of a non-political relationship with her aunt, Siddiq was often seen at events involving the Awami League, meeting British MPs and high-ranking political figures, including former Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow.

Mubashar Hasan, a Bangladeshi political commentator, noted, "If members of the Chinese or Russian diaspora in the UK were similarly linked to their respective governments and supported a British politician of Chinese or Russian origin, it would undoubtedly be regarded as foreign interference."

In the wake of Channel 4's 2017 report on Bin Quasem’s alleged abduction, Dhaka police raided his family home and warned his wife to stay low, a reflection of the increasingly oppressive tactics used by Hasina’s government against political opponents.

Hasina's regime was toppled in 2024 after a student-led uprising, and investigations into illicit financial dealings involving businesses tied to the Awami League have raised further concerns. Siddiq’s financial dealings are now part of the broader inquiry, with particular attention being paid to the properties she has lived in, including a flat in King’s Cross and a £2.1m house in Finchley. These properties were reportedly paid for by people with ties to the Awami League. Siddiq denies any wrongdoing but faces questions about whether she properly declared the benefits she received from these properties.

As her ties to her aunt’s regime come under closer examination, the full extent of Siddiq’s involvement with the Awami League may soon be brought to light, adding to the political and ethical questions surrounding her career.