Summary:
- British City Minister Tulip Siddiq received a free two-bedroom London flat worth £195,000 in 2004 from Abdul Motalif, a developer with connections to Bangladesh’s Awami League, which now values at approximately £650,000.
- The gift raises concerns due to Siddiq’s family ties with former PM Sheikh Hasina and ongoing corruption investigations, including allegations of receiving funds from a Russia-backed nuclear project.
- Siddiq owns multiple properties including a mortgage-free £865,000 flat with her husband and currently lives in a £2.1 million home owned by UK Awami League executive Abdul Karim.
- The timing of the gift has drawn scrutiny as Siddiq previously worked within Awami League’s EU and UK lobbying unit, and publicly acknowledged the party’s help in becoming a British MP.
British City Minister and Economic Secretary to the Treasury Tulip Siddiq received a two-bedroom apartment in central London as a gift from a developer connected to Bangladesh’s recently ousted government, raising fresh questions about potential conflicts of interest.
The flat near King’s Cross was transferred to Siddiq without payment in 2004 by Abdul Motalif, a 70-year-old developer with links to the Awami League party. Land Registry records show the property was initially purchased for £195,000 in January 2001, with a neighboring flat recently selling for £650,000 in August 2023.
A spokesperson for Siddiq stated: “Any suggestion that Tulip Siddiq’s ownership of this property, or any other property is in any way linked to support for the Awami League, would be categorically wrong.”
The revelation comes amid heightened scrutiny of Siddiq’s connections to Bangladesh’s former government. She is the niece of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s former prime minister who fled to India in August 2024 following public protests. The Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh recently launched an investigation into allegations that Hasina’s family, including Siddiq, received funds from a Russia-backed nuclear power project.
Electoral records indicate Siddiq lived in the King’s Cross property during the early 2000s, with her siblings residing there in subsequent years. The property transfer occurred before she became an MP in 2015. In 2018, Siddiq extended the lease on the property for £90,000.
The minister currently resides in a £2.1 million London home owned by Abdul Karim, an executive member of the UK Awami League, for which she pays market rates and has declared the relationship to parliamentary authorities.
Property Portfolio and Previous Concerns
Beyond the gifted flat, Siddiq and her husband jointly own a mortgage-free flat in her Hampstead and Highgate constituency, purchased for £865,000. She faced criticism last year from the parliamentary standards commissioner for failing to declare rental income from this property.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has expressed confidence in Siddiq, with Downing Street stating it has seen no evidence of wrongdoing. However, her past involvement with the Awami League, including work within its EU and UK lobbying unit and election strategy team, continues to draw attention.
At a 2015 London event honoring Sheikh Hasina, Siddiq acknowledged her political ties, stating: “Had it not been for your help, I would never have been able to stand here as a British MP.”
The timing of these revelations coincides with ongoing investigations into the Awami League’s 15-year rule in Bangladesh, marked by allegations of corruption, election rigging, and suppression of dissent.
Source: The Daily Star
