Labour MP says Bangladesh leader Muhammad Yunus has prejudiced ongoing investigations; insists she won’t be dragged into ‘dirty politics’
Labour MP Tulip Siddiq has launched a blistering legal challenge against Bangladesh’s interim leader, accusing Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of conducting a politically motivated campaign to damage her reputation and meddle in British politics.
In a new legal letter obtained by Sky News, the former UK minister claims her right to a fair investigation has been “irreparably prejudiced” by public statements made by Professor Yunus and Bangladeshi authorities. Siddiq denies all allegations of corruption being investigated by the ACC, and now calls for the probes to be dropped entirely.
“The time has now come for the chief adviser and the ACC to abandon their wholly misconceived and unlawful campaign to smear Ms Siddiq’s reputation and interfere with her public service,” her lawyers wrote in correspondence sent on Monday to both Professor Yunus and the commission.
The escalating legal and diplomatic row centres on public comments made by Professor Yunus in March during an interview with Sky News, where he stated that Siddiq “has so much wealth left behind here” and “should be made responsible.” Siddiq’s legal team says such remarks have unfairly tainted ongoing inquiries and represent a serious breach of due process.
Political vendetta or legal accountability?
The investigations concern alleged links between Siddiq and figures connected to her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the former prime minister of Bangladesh, who was ousted last year following mass protests and violent unrest. Reports in Bangladeshi media have questioned Siddiq’s alleged property connections to Awami League-linked individuals — claims she says are unfounded and politically motivated.
Sheikh Hasina is currently on trial in absentia in Dhaka for alleged abuses of power and deaths during the civil upheaval in 2024.
Earlier this year, Siddiq voluntarily referred herself to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus after the press reported on her family ties. Magnus found no impropriety but noted it was “regrettable” that Siddiq had not recognised the potential reputational risks sooner.
Despite that rebuke, Siddiq maintains she has done nothing wrong and now accuses Bangladesh’s interim government of exploiting those links to wage a broader campaign against her.
Speaking to Sky News, Siddiq said: “I will not be allowing them to drag me into their world of dirty politics, and nothing is going to stop me from pursuing the job that I was elected to do with an overwhelming majority — representing the people of Hampstead and Highgate.”
She added: “They need to stop this political vendetta, this smear campaign, and this malicious persecution right from the beginning.”
Yunus dismisses meddling claims
In response, the office of Professor Yunus issued a sharp rebuttal. His press secretary told Sky News: “The chief advisor and the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh have no reason and scope to interfere in UK politics.”
The statement insisted that the ACC’s work is based on “documentary evidence and witness testimony,” not hearsay or political motivation. “If Ms Siddiq wilfully ignores the court summons, proceedings against her may proceed in absentia,” it warned.
The spokesperson added that if Siddiq were unable to secure legal representation, the Bangladeshi state would ensure she received support.
Siddiq had reportedly sought a meeting with Yunus during his official visit to the UK earlier this month in an effort to “clear up” misunderstandings and defend herself directly. That request was denied, with the interim leader stating he did not want to “interrupt a legal procedure.”
In their latest letter, Siddiq’s legal team alleges that refusal further undermines the fairness of the investigation.
“The copious briefings to the media, the failure to respond to our letters, the failure to even ask to meet with and question Ms Siddiq during their recent visit to the United Kingdom are impossible to justify and completely inconsistent with a fair, lawful and serious investigation,” the letter reads.
Her lawyers have now given Bangladeshi authorities a deadline of 30 June 2025 to respond, stating that without “a full and proper response,” Siddiq will consider the matter closed.
