Interpol Red Notice Ordered for Tulip Siddiq Over Corruption Allegations

    M Firoz Al Mamun (Special Correspondent) Posted On Feb 26, 2026
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    Interpol Red Notice Ordered for Tulip Siddiq Over Corruption Allegations

    A Dhaka court on Thursday (February 26, 2026) directed authorities to seek an Interpol Red Notice for the arrest of Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, niece of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

    The order was passed by Judge Md. Sabbir Fayez of the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court following an application filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). 

    The legal move comes amid allegations that Tulip Siddiq, daughter of Sheikh Rehana, leveraged her political connections during her aunt’s tenure to secure illicit financial benefits.

    The Allegations

    According to the ACC's submission, led by Assistant Director AKM Mortuza Ali Sagar, Tulip Siddiq is accused of using her political influence to pressure legal officers at RAJUK (the Capital Development Authority). 

    The investigation suggests she improperly facilitated the approval of flat sales for Eastern Housing Limited, a process that allegedly resulted in significant illegal financial gains for her and associated parties.

    Flight and Investigation

    The anti-graft body informed the court that Tulip Siddiq had left Bangladesh before the formal case was filed. The ACC expressed concerns that, while abroad, she may attempt to destroy vital evidence and documents related to the investigation.

    Given her current location outside national borders, the court accepted the ACC’s argument that an Interpol Red Notice is essential to bring her back to Bangladesh to face justice and ensure a fair trial.

    Broader Context

    Since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government, the ACC has launched a series of investigations into the family members of the former Prime Minister regarding various irregularities and corruption charges. 

    This latest court order marks a significant step in the interim administration's efforts to hold members of the former ruling family accountable through international legal channels.

    Legal proceedings against Tulip Siddiq

    The legal proceedings against Tulip Siddiq in Bangladesh are extensive and involve multiple separate cases. Here is a summary of the primary charges and legal outcomes as of February 2026:

    1. The Purbachal Land Allocation Case

    • The Charge: Siddiq was accused of using her "special influence" as a British MP and niece of the Prime Minister to pressure Sheikh Hasina into illegally allocating a valuable 13,610-sq-ft plot of land in Dhaka’s Purbachal New Town project.

    • The Beneficiaries: Prosecutors alleged the land was obtained for her mother (Sheikh Rehana), sister (Azmina Siddiq), and brother (Radwan Mujib Siddiq).

    • Verdict (Dec 1, 2025): She was convicted in absentia and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 taka (£620). Her mother was sentenced to seven years, and her aunt to five.

    • Siddiq’s Response: She maintains she never held a plot in her name and described the trial as a "kangaroo court" and a "Kafkaesque nightmare."

    2. The Rooppur Nuclear Plant Embezzlement

    • The Charge: Allegations surfaced in late 2024 that Siddiq helped broker a $12.6 billion deal with Russia's Rosatom in 2013. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating claims that up to $5 billion (£3.9bn) was embezzled or paid in kickbacks to the Sheikh family via offshore accounts.

    • Evidence Cited: A 2013 photograph of Siddiq with Vladimir Putin and Sheikh Hasina at the Kremlin during the signing ceremony.

    • Siddiq’s Response: She states she was merely a "sightseeing" relative on a family trip and had no role in political or financial negotiations.

    3. The Gulshan Diplomatic Zone Property

    • The Charge: A separate investigation involves the allegedly illegal acquisition of a flat in Gulshan-2, one of Dhaka’s most elite diplomatic zones.

    • Legal Status (Feb 2026): On February 26, 2026, a Dhaka court ordered an Interpol Red Notice for her arrest regarding this specific case, following her failure to surrender to the court.

    4. Citizenship and Documentation

    • The Dispute: To prosecute her, the ACC documented evidence that Siddiq holds a Bangladeshi National ID (NID), is on the voter registry, and holds a Bangladeshi passport.

    • Siddiq’s Response: Her legal team initially suggested these documents were fabrications, asserting she is a British citizen. However, investigative reports by The Times (London) and Prothom Alo (Dhaka) corroborated the existence of the Bangladeshi ID.

      Tulip Siddiq is a British politician
       

      Tulip Siddiq is a British politician who serves as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Hampstead and Highgate constituency and is a prominent member of the Labour Party.

     She previously held the government role of Economic Secretary to the Treasury (City Minister) under Prime Minister Keir Starmer until her resignation in January 2025.

    UK Government’s official stance

    The UK Government and the Labour Party have adopted a firm stance of non-recognition regarding the legal proceedings in Bangladesh, treating them as a matter of foreign "dirty politics" rather than a legitimate judicial process.

    As of February 26, 2026, here is the official position from London:

    1. Official Stance on the Verdicts

    • Non-Recognition: The Labour Party has explicitly stated it will not recognize the judgments from the Bangladeshi courts. A party spokesperson described the trials as "flawed and farcical," noting that Siddiq was never properly served with charges or given the opportunity to present a legal defense.

    • Support for the MP: Despite the conviction and the newly issued Interpol Red Notice (as of today, February 26, 2026), Siddiq remains a member of the Labour Party in good standing. She still holds the party whip and continues to serve as the MP for Hampstead and Highgate.

    • Internal Clearance: Prime Minister Keir Starmer has maintained that Siddiq "acted entirely properly" in the UK. While she resigned from her ministerial role in January 2025, she was cleared of breaching the UK Ministerial Code by the Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests, Sir Laurie Magnus.

    2. Extradition and Legal Protections

    • No Extradition Treaty: The UK does not have an extradition treaty with Bangladesh. This means that even with an Interpol Red Notice, there is no legal mechanism to force the UK government to hand her over to Bangladeshi authorities.

    • Interpol Status: In the UK, an Interpol Red Notice is viewed as a "request" for arrest, not an arrest warrant itself. Given that the UK government views the charges as politically motivated, it is highly unlikely that British police would act on the notice.

    3. Senior Legal Defense

    • Cross-Party Support: High-profile British legal figures, including former Conservative Justice Secretary Sir Robert Buckland and former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, have publicly questioned the fairness of the Bangladeshi proceedings, suggesting they lack the transparency required by international law.

    • Human Rights Argument: The UK's position is bolstered by concerns regarding the "retributive justice" being meted out by the new interim and subsequent administrations in Dhaka following the 2024 revolution.

    4. Siddiq’s Personal Response

    Siddiq has summarized her position in a statement to her constituents:

    “The outcome of this kangaroo court is as predictable as it is unjustified. I refuse to be distracted by the dirty politics of Bangladesh. My focus remains entirely on my work for the people of Hampstead and Highgate.”
     

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