Bangladeshi officials testify against former British minister Tulip Siddiq in anti-corruption trial
Mr. Siddiq, who is Ms. Hasina's niece, resigned from her post as an anti-corruption minister in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government in January following reports that she lived in London properties linked to her aunt and was named in an anti-corruption investigation in Bangladesh.
She is being tried together with her mother, Sheikh Rehana, brother, Radwan Mujib, and sister, Azmina. Mr. Siddiq has been charged with facilitating their receipt of state land in a township project near the capital, Dhaka. The four were indicted earlier and asked to appear in court, however, the prosecution said they absconded and would be tried in absentia.
The trial at the Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 formally began Wednesday (August 13, 2025) with testimonies by officials of the country's Anti-Corruption Commission. By Wednesday afternoon, the court had heard from two officials and a third is expected to testify later in the day, said Muhammad Tariqul Islam, a public prosecutor.
Mr. Siddiq's lawyers had previously called the charges baseless and politically motivated.
Separately, the anti-corruption investigation has also alleged that Mr. Siddiq's family was involved in brokering a 2013 deal with Russia for a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh in which large sums of money were said to have been embezzled.
Mr. Siddiq represents the north London district of Hampstead and Highgate in Parliament, served in Britain's center-left Labor Party government as economic secretary to the Treasury — the minister responsible for tackling financial corruption.
Ms. Hasina was ousted after a 15-year rule in a student-led mass uprising in August last year. She fled to India and has been in exile ever since. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus took over as interim leader and vowed to try the former prime minister. Hundreds of protesters were killed during the uprising and Hasina now faces charges, including crimes against humanity.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
12 minutes ago
- The Hindu
A tryst with destiny: A girl in the gallery, a nation in the making
In her quiet Bengaluru home, author and educationist Sharada Nayak drifts back to a midnight 79 years ago, when the air was filled with hope, pride and promise of tomorrow. As Jawaharlal Nehru's 'Tryst with Destiny' echoed not only in the central hall of Parliament, but through the lengths and breaths of a young India, Ms. Nayak, only about 14-years-old then, was present in the Parliament. 'I still get goose pimples thinking about it,' says the 93-year-old who believes she might be one of the last persons living to have attended the ceremony. Witnessing history Ms. Nayak's father, A.V. Pai, held important positions in pre and post-independent India. An Indian Civil Service officer during the British Raj was sent as an agent to Ceylon, where he played a crucial role in unionising the oppressed Tamil plantation labourers. Nehru visited Ceylon during the same period, and that was the beginning of a bond that lasted for decades that followed. In June 1947, Nehru asked Pai to accompany Vijaylakshmi Pandit to Moscow to establish the first Indian Embassy. Pai, however, declined, citing his father's terminal illness and the schooling of his young children. 'Nehru lost his temper. Your father's illness and your children's education are of secondary importance; Your duty to your country comes first, he said,' Ms. Nayak notes. Pai subsequently left for Moscow along with his wife, Tara Pai, leaving Ms. Nayak and her younger sister in Delhi under the care of house help. H.V. Kamath, a constituent Assembly member then and later a parliamentarian, was a relative and dropped by frequently to check in on the children. During one such visit, he mentioned the upcoming midnight session on 14 August. Ms. Nayak, who grew excited, wondered if she could attend the historic moment. Kamath got her two passes. 'I went with a neighbour and we were in the gallery. Most other guests were officials. Since I was little, they gave me the front seat. I peeped over the ledge and looked down as Nehru made his speech. For me, especially given that I was in my teens when you are very idealistic, it all felt very exciting. I remember that night very fondly,' she reminisces. A natural choice Post-independence, Nayak went on to complete her studies and became the executive director of the United States Educational Foundation in India, overseeing the Fulbright Exchange programme. She also founded the Educational Resources Trust, which focuses on teacher training and student workshops on citizenship, gender studies, and political awareness. She feels education as a path to pursue came naturally to her, with her great-grand uncle being Ammembal Subba Rao Pai, a pioneer who founded the Canara High School and Canara Bank. As an educationist, she feels the biggest gap in the Indian education system is the rote learning model. 'Everything is being learned by heart and vomited out onto the exam papers. Even in our religions, we learn things by heart and simply repeat them. What we miss is the ability to be innovative and to inquire. I would like our students not to learn from textbooks, but to be given assignments that prompt them to be creative and develop their own opinions,' she says. On textbook revision Ms. Nayak also records her displeasure with the recent changes in the NCERT textbooks, where several chapters related to the Mughal era and Hindutwa extremist organisations' displeasure towards Mahatma Gandhi were deleted. 'I don't like them because they're all politically motivated. Whoever is in power at a time will put what suits their ideologies in the book. I don't like textbooks as such,' she said.
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
India's third-highest wartime Gallantry Award for IAF warriors who targeted Pakistan's Muridke, Bahawalpur terror bases
As festivities for Independence Day begin, the centre on Thursday awarded Vir Chakra to nine Indian Air Force officers for their brave contributions in the service of the nation during Operation Sindoor . Independence Day 2025 Before Trump, British used tariffs to kill Indian textile Bank of Azad Hind: When Netaji gave India its own currency Swadeshi 2.0: India is no longer just a market, it's a maker The Vir Chakra has been awarded to nine Indian Air Force officers, including fighter pilots, who targeted terrorist groups' headquarters in Pakistan's Muridke and Bahawalpur and the neighbouring country's military assets. Group Captains (GP) Ranjeet Singh Sidhu, Manish Arora, Animesh Patni, Kunal Kalra, Wing commanders (WG CDR) Joy Chandra, Squadron Leaders (Sqn Ldr) Sarthak Kumar, Siddhant Singh, Rizwan Malik, Flight Lieutenant (FLT LT) Aarshveer Singh Thakur have been awarded Vir Chakra. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Become Fluent in Any Language Talkpal AI Sign Up Undo The Indian Air Force has brought down at least six Pakistaircraft in the action. Vir Chakra is a military bravery award presented to wartime heroes for their gallant actions on the battlefield. It is third in line after Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra. Live Events This comes after Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said that India took down at least five fighter jets of Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and downed one large aircraft which was taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres. He said the aircraft that was brought down "is the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about". The IAF Chief, who delivered the keynote address at the 16th edition of the Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Memorial Lecture on Saturday, lauded the successful completion of Operation Sindoor, underscoring the primacy of Air Power in modern military conflicts and its significance in national security. "We have at least five fighters confirmed kills and one large aircraft, which could be either an ELINT (Electronic Intelligence) aircraft or an AEW &C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) aircraft, which was taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres. This is actually the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about," Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 as a decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. The Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, leading to the death of over 100 terrorists. India repelled the subsequent Pakistani retaliation and pounded its airbases.
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
NEP has brought far-reaching changes, aligned learning with values: President Droupadi Murmu
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has brought in far-reaching changes, aligning learning with values and skills with tradition, President Droupadi Murmu said on Thursday. Independence Day 2025 Before Trump, British used tariffs to kill Indian textile Bank of Azad Hind: When Netaji gave India its own currency Swadeshi 2.0: India is no longer just a market, it's a maker In her address to the nation on the eve of the 79th Independence Day, Murmu said the government has created the most conducive ecosystem for those with entrepreneurial aspirations . "Our youth have finally found the right environment for the realisation of their dreams. The National Education Policy has brought in far-reaching changes, aligning learning with values and skills with tradition. Employment opportunities are booming. For those with entrepreneurial aspirations, the government has created the most conducive ecosystem," she said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Senior Living Homes in Savar May Surprise You Senior Living | Search Ads Undo The President noted that, fueled by young minds, the country's space programme has witnessed unprecedented expansion. "I am sure that Shubhanshu Shukla's space journey to the International Space Station has fired a whole generation to dream bigger. It will prove extremely helpful for India's upcoming human space flight programme 'Gaganyaan'. Brimming with new confidence, our youth are making a mark in sports and games. Live Events "Chess, for example, is now dominated by India's youngsters like never before. We foresee transformative changes which will establish India as a global sporting power-house under the vision contained in the National Sports Policy 2025," she said.
