Tulip Siddiq, former UK minister and niece of Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has responded to the recent arrest warrant issued against her in Bangladesh, calling it a "politically motivated smear campaign."
Speaking to reporters on Monday (April 14), Siddiq stated that no official from the Bangladeshi authorities had contacted her regarding the matter.
"This has been nothing more than a trial by media," she said. ''My legal team has proactively reached out to the Bangladeshi authorities, but we have received no response."
She further remarked, "I refuse to dignify this politically driven attack with a detailed response. It is entirely baseless and intended to harass. No credible evidence or allegation is proving I have done anything wrong."
The arrest warrant was issued on Sunday (April 13) by a Dhaka court in connection with alleged irregularities in land allocations in Purbachal. Siddiq is among 53 individuals named in the Anti-Corruption Commission's (ACC) case.
The ACC is reportedly investigating claims that Siddiq unlawfully acquired land during Sheikh Hasina's tenure in office. The arrest warrant is part of the broader probe into these allegations.
Additionally, the ACC is examining accusations that members of Sheikh Hasina's family misappropriated up to £3.9 billion from Bangladesh's infrastructure expenditures. The investigation was prompted by multiple complaints filed by opposition politician Bobby Hajjaj.
