Summary:
- Bangladesh’s ACC is pursuing international legal action to recover alleged illicit funds linked to UK MP Tulip Siddiq and her aunt, ousted PM Sheikh Hasina, across 12 countries.
- Investigations focus on a £4B nuclear power deal with Russia, with collaboration from UK’s National Crime Agency and EU authorities to trace laundered money.
- Tulip Siddiq resigned as UK City Minister in 2025 after ethics probes revealed misleading statements about a London flat tied to an Awami League associate.
- The probe coincides with ACC’s broader inquiry into rights abuses during Hasina’s 15-year rule, including allegations of 1,500 protestor deaths during her 2024 ouster.
Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is pursuing international legal action to recover alleged illicit funds linked to UK MP Tulip Siddiq and her aunt, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, according to reports from British media. The ACC has reportedly expanded its money laundering investigations across 12 countries, focusing on assets connected to Hasina’s administration that was ousted in August 2024 following deadly anti-government protests.
Key Developments
The Telegraph reports ACC investigators are collaborating with Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to trace funds allegedly siphoned through a £4 billion nuclear power plant deal with Russia. ACC Director General Akhtar Hossain confirmed mutual legal assistance requests have been sent to multiple nations, stating: “Preliminary reports suggest laundered money reached not just the UK but multiple destinations.”
Political Context
The probe follows months of scrutiny over Siddiq’s resignation as UK City Minister in January 2025 after ethics investigators found she misled parliament about a London flat gift from an Awami League associate. Siddiq, who briefly oversaw anti-corruption policy, has denied all allegations through a spokesperson: “No evidence has been presented, and no formal contact made regarding these claims.”
International Dimensions
UK NCA officials visited Dhaka in late January to assist the ACC, while European Union authorities have pledged cooperation. Hossain indicated recovered funds could be repatriated through “legal channels or by seeking foreign authorities’ help.” The investigations notably focus on assets accumulated during Hasina’s 15-year tenure marked by alleged human rights abuses and suppression of dissent.
Background
Sheikh Hasina, currently in India since her ouster, faces multiple ACC probes including those involving family members. The 77-year-old leader’s government was accused of killing 1,500 protesters during August 2024’s pro-democracy demonstrations. Siddiq’s political challenges persist despite her calls for an independent inquiry into the property controversy that ended her ministerial career.
