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Arab News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Bangladeshi officials testify against former British minister Siddiq in corruption trial
DHAKA: Bangladeshi anti-corruption officials testified in court on Wednesday against former British anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddiq, accusing of using a family connection to deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to obtain state-owned land in the South Asian country. Siddiq, who is Hasina's niece, resigned from her post 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. Siddiq has been charged with facilitating their receipt of state land in a township project near the capital, Dhaka. They are out of the country and being tried in absentia. Siddiq's lawyers have called the charges baseless and politically motivated. Muhammad Tariqul Islam, a public prosecutor, disputed a claim by Siddiq that she is not Bangladeshi, saying the anti-corruption watchdog through investigations found that she is a citizen. The prosecutor said if Siddiq is convicted she could be sentenced to three to 10 years in prison. Siddiq in an interview with the British newspaper The Guardian recently referred to Bangladesh as 'a foreign country' and called the charges against her 'completely absurd.' She asserted to The Guardian she was 'collateral damage' in the longstanding feud between her aunt and Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus. Hasina had a frosty relation with Yunus, and during her rule Yunus faced a number of cases including for graft allegations. Courts overturned those charges before he took over as interim leader days after Hasina's ouster last year in a student-led uprising. Separately, the anti-corruption investigation has alleged that 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.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Bangladeshi officials testify against former British minister Tulip Siddiq in anti-corruption trial
Bangladeshi anti-corruption officials testified in court on Wednesday against former British Minister Tulip Siddiq, accused of using her familial connection to deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to obtain state-owned land plots in the South Asian country. Siddiq, who is 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. 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 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. Siddiq's lawyers had previously called the charges baseless and politically motivated. Separately, the anti-corruption investigation has also alleged that 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. 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. 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.
BreakingNews.ie
6 days ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Bangladeshi anti-corruption officials give evidence against UK MP Tulip Siddiq
Bangladeshi anti-corruption officials have given evidence in court against former British minister Tulip Siddiq, accused of using her familial connection to deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina to obtain state-owned land plots in the South Asian country. Ms Siddiq, who is Ms Hasina's niece, resigned from her post as an anti-corruption minister in Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's government in January after reports that she lived in London properties linked to her aunt and was named in an anti-corruption investigation in Bangladesh. Advertisement She is being tried together with her mother, Sheikh Rehana, brother, Radwan Mujib, and sister, Azmina. Ms Siddiq has been charged with facilitating their receipt of state land in a township project near the capital, Dhaka. The trial at the Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 formally began on Wednesday (Mahmud Hossain Opu/AP) The four were indicted earlier and asked to appear in court, but the prosecution said they absconded and would be tried in absentia. The trial at the Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 formally began on Wednesday, hearing evidence from officials from the country's Anti-Corruption Commission. Advertisement The court had heard from two officials and a third was expected to testify later in the day, Muhammad Tariqul Islam, a public prosecutor, said. Ms Siddiq's lawyers had previously called the charges baseless and politically motivated. Separately, the anti-corruption investigation has also alleged that Ms 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. Public prosecutor Muhammad Tariqul Islam, wearing a tie, spoke to reporters after the hearing (Mahmud Hossain Opu/AP) The Labour MP represents the north London district of Hampstead and Highgate and served as economic secretary to the Treasury — the minister responsible for tackling financial corruption. Advertisement 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 Ms Hasina now faces charges, including crimes against humanity.
Washington Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Bangladeshi officials testify against former British minister Tulip Siddiq in anti-corruption trial
DHAKA, Bangladesh — Bangladeshi anti-corruption officials testified in court on Wednesday against former British Minister Tulip Siddiq, accused of using her familial connection to deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to obtain state-owned land plots in the South Asian country. Siddiq, who is 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. 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 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. Siddiq's lawyers had previously called the charges baseless and politically motivated. Separately, the anti-corruption investigation has also alleged that 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. 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. 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. — Associated Press video journalist Al Emrun Garjon in Dhaka, Bangladesh, contributed to the report.
Associated Press
6 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Bangladeshi officials testify against former British minister Tulip Siddiq in anti-corruption trial
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladeshi anti-corruption officials testified in court on Wednesday against former British Minister Tulip Siddiq, accused of using her familial connection to deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to obtain state-owned land plots in the South Asian country. Siddiq, who is 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. 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 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. Siddiq's lawyers had previously called the charges baseless and politically motivated. Separately, the anti-corruption investigation has also alleged that 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. 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. 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. — Associated Press video journalist Al Emrun Garjon in Dhaka, Bangladesh, contributed to the report.
