Tulip Siddiq’s lawyers have lashed out at Bangladeshi authorities for failing to uphold the former Labour minister’s “fundamental right to justice” after issuing an arrest warrant in connection with corruption allegations.
Legal representatives for the Hampstead and Highgate MP, 42, complained that Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) have “failed to provide a single piece of documentary evidence” against her despite filing a request last a month.
The ACC is examining claims Ms Siddiq’s aunt Sheikh Hasina Wazed, Bangladesh’s deposed prime minister, and her family embezzled up to £3.9billion from infrastructure spending in the capital Dhaka.
Ms Siddiq is also accused of pressuring her aunt to allocate three plots of land for the MP's UK-based mother and two siblings at the Purbachal residential development.
Prosecutors ordered Ms Siddiq on April 13 to appear before the capital’s Senior Special Judges' Court by April 27.
Warrants have also been issued against the former anti-corruption minister’s mother, Rehana, 69, her elder brother Radwan, 44, and younger sister, Azmina, 34, for allegedly acquiring plots of land illegally.
Ms Siddiq, who resigned from Sir Keir Starmer’s Cabinet in January, and her family vehemently deny the claims.
Despite public statements by the ACC over the case, in a letter seen by The Standard, Ms Siddiq’s solicitors Stephenson Harwood said their client has received “no response” from Bangladesh informing her of any criminal charges.
The law firm initially wrote to the ACC on March 18 in which they claimed Ms Siddiq had no case to answer, let alone one that requires her to travel to Bangladesh.
The ACC should stop ‘shying away’ from confronting Ms Siddiq directly
They also accused the ACC of having run an “orchestrated campaign” to harm the reputation of Ms Siddiq by making “false and vexatious allegations”, leaking stories to the press, and threatening to issue an Interpol Red Notice.
The letter reads: “It is extraordinary and wholly inconsistent with due process and a fair procedure for the ACC to lay charges before the Bangladeshi court, obtain an arrest warrant, threaten to request a red notice from Interpol and brief the media about all these things without making any contact at all with Ms Siddiq or her lawyers.
“Such behaviour is a clear breach of international norms and indicative of the way that Ms Siddiq is going to be treated by the ACC and the Bangladesh authorities.”
It goes on to state: “The ACC, its investigation officer, the prosecutor and the courts in Bangladesh are each failing in their legal obligations to ensure Ms Siddiq’s fundamental right to justice.
“The ACC should stop hiding behind the media, stop ‘shying away’ from confronting Ms Siddiq directly and deal with her fairly and openly.”
Stephenson Harwood told The Standard there has been no response to either letters.
Last week, ACC chairman Abdul Momen said that Bangladeshi authorities will not exchange letters with Ms Siddiq, but let the court deal with the case.
He said: “Exchanging letters cannot take the place of a proper court process.”
“If she fails to appear after a warrant is issued, she will be treated as a criminal absconder.”
The Standard has approached Ms Siddiq for comment.
