CA Yunus declines to meet Tulip Siddiq

Bangladesh's interim government's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, has declined a request to meet with Labour MP Tulip Siddiq during his visit to London, amid ongoing corruption allegations against her.

Yunus told the BBC that the matter was currently before the courts and emphasised his trust in the Bangladeshi Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which is investigating Tulip.

The ACC has accused Tulip of unlawfully receiving land from her aunt, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was removed from office last year following a student-led uprising.

Tulip, who previously served as a Treasury minister in the UK, has denied the accusations, calling them a "politically motivated smear campaign" by Bangladeshi authorities.

In a letter, Tulip requested a meeting with Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist who now heads Bangladesh's caretaker government. She expressed hope that the meeting could help clarify what she described as a misunderstanding fueled by the ACC in Dhaka.

When asked by the BBC whether he would meet Tulip during his four-day UK visit, Yunus responded, "No, I'm not, because it's a legal procedure. I don't want to interfere in that. Let the process continue."

Tulip has claimed that authorities in Bangladesh have failed to provide any evidence supporting the allegations and have avoided communicating with her legal team.

Yunus, responding to those claims, reiterated: "It's a court matter. A court will determine if there's sufficient material to move forward or dismiss the case."

Pressed on whether Bangladeshi prosecutors should be more transparent and share evidence with Tulip, Yunus replied, "As chief adviser, I have full confidence in our Anti-Corruption Commission and believe they are handling things appropriately."

Asked whether he would seek Tulip's extradition if she were convicted, Yunus confirmed: "If it's part of the legal process, of course."

In a statement, Tulip expressed disappointment over Yunus's refusal to meet, accusing him of being part of a politically driven campaign based on "fantasy accusations" and lacking evidence.

She said, "If this were a genuine legal process, they would be engaging with my lawyers rather than sending dubious letters to an address in Dhaka I've never lived at.

"I hope he now stops trying to smear me in the media and lets the courts demonstrate that this investigation has nothing to do with me — a British citizen and proud UK Parliament member."

Tulip stepped down from her ministerial role earlier this year after the prime minister's ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, looked into the allegations. Magnus said he found no evidence of wrongdoing but noted it was "regrettable" that Tulip had not been more aware of the reputational risks tied to her family connections, especially her aunt, the leader of the Awami League.

Bangladeshi authorities claim roughly $234 billion was embezzled during Hasina's time in office, with a large portion allegedly funnelled to or spent in the UK.

Yunus noted that efforts were underway to recover these funds, including hiring legal experts in the UK. He said the British government had shown strong support.

"I really admire how quickly they are responding," Yunus said.

Although he was unable to secure a meeting with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer — who is both a friend and constituency neighbour of Tulip — Yunus said, "I don't know if I should be disappointed or he should. It's a missed opportunity. That's why I'm encouraging people to come to Bangladesh — to really experience the moment."

Asked if Downing Street gave a reason for the meeting not taking place, Yunus said there was no explanation but added that Starmer was probably busy with other priorities.

Downing Street declined to comment.

While in the UK, Yunus did meet King Charles at Buckingham Palace and held talks with Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds at Parliament.

Reynolds shared on X (formerly Twitter) that their discussion focused on "shared goals for economic growth, job creation, and prosperity."

Some Bangladeshi community members in the UK staged protests against Yunus during his visit, gathering outside Parliament.

Yunus said Bangladesh's interim government had engaged legal teams in the UK to recover money believed to have been stolen and moved abroad during Hasina's administration.

The BBC has learned that the International Anti-Corruption Co-ordination Centre (IACCC), based in London and hosted by the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), is considering how to support Bangladesh's investigations.

The NCA declined to confirm any details, stating: "The NCA does not routinely comment on the nature of international assistance, nor confirm or deny whether it has opened or is supporting an investigation."