UK Minister Resigns Over Links to Ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Tulip Siddiq, a UK minister responsible for financial services and anti-corruption efforts, has resigned following allegations of financial ties with her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the ousted Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Hasina, who was removed from office last year, is currently under investigation for corruption and money laundering.

The 42-year-old minister repeatedly denied any wrongdoing but cited concerns over her position distracting from government priorities. Prime Minister Keir Stammer, who had previously expressed full confidence in Siddiq, accepted her resignation and promptly appointed Emma Reynolds as her successor.

In a letter to Starmer, Siddiq stated, “My role has become a diversion from the government’s core objectives.” Meanwhile, the government’s independent ethics adviser noted that while Siddiq did not breach ministerial codes, her family’s ties to Bangladesh posed a “perceived risk to her credibility.”

Sheikh Hasina, who governed Bangladesh from 2009, faces allegations of embezzlement linked to a $12.65 billion nuclear energy project. The country’s Anti-Corruption Commission suspects that Siddiq and her family may have benefited financially from these deals.

Scrutiny of Siddiq intensified after it was revealed she resided in a North London property provided by a Bangladeshi lawyer who had represented Hasina’s government. Further reports uncovered her acquisition of another property in 2004 from a developer tied to Hasina’s political party, the Awami League, without financial payment.

Mohammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s interim government, urged Siddiq to apologize to the Bangladeshi people for her involvement. “She may not have been fully aware of the origins of certain assets she enjoyed, but she now owes an explanation and an apology,” Yunus said in a statement.

The UK government reiterated its commitment to recovering misappropriated assets and pledged ongoing collaboration with international partners to investigate corruption cases tied to Bangladesh.

Tulip Siddiq resignation marks another setback for Stammer’s administration, which has faced a string of ethical controversies. Just weeks ago, Transport Minister Louise Haigh stepped down after admitting to filing a false insurance claim years before joining the government.

As Stammer grapples with declining approval ratings since the Labour Party’s victory last July, Siddiq’s departure adds to the mounting challenges for his government to maintain public trust and credibility.