Keir Starmer declines to meet CA Yunus: FT report

Highlights:

• CA Yunus' team yesterday claimed that UK PM Starmer was in Canada so a meeting may not be possible
• It has now come to light that Starmer had actually turned down request to meet CA
• Yunus said he had no conversations with Starmer, but was assured he would support Bangladesh's efforts to recover misappropriated money
• CA Yunus has declined to meet Tulip Siddiq
• CA Yunus has named Canada, Singapore, the Caribbean and the Middle East as other destinations for allegedly misappropriated assets

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer turned down a request to meet Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus during his visit to London aimed at raising support for efforts to recover billions of dollars siphoned off by the deposed regime of Sheikh Hasina, the Financial Times reports.

Yunus told the Financial Times the UK should feel "morally" obliged to help Bangladesh's new government track down funds "stolen" by the previous regime, much of it allegedly now in the UK.

However, Yunus said Starmer had not yet agreed to meet him.

"I have no direct conversation with him," Yunus said, although he added he had "no doubt" Starmer would support Bangladesh's efforts.

Earlier yesterday, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam came under criticism for claiming that they weren't able to secure a meeting with Starmer as the latter was in the UK. Many social media users pointed out that the claim was entirely untrue.

Meanwhile, Yunus stressed to FT that he was only after the money stolen from Bangladesh.

UK government officials confirmed to FT that there was no plan for Starmer to meet Yunus at present, and declined to comment further.

Bite-sized: Where is the UK Prime Minister?

While Yunus said the UK government was already providing assistance in finding the money, he said the UK should feel "legally and . . . morally" obliged to help Bangladesh recover it.

The objective of the trip was to bring out "more enthusiastic support" from the UK, he said.

Why Yunus' anti-corruption drive a bad look for Starmer

Bangladesh's investigations into the finances of Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League have at times threatened to reflect badly on Starmer's UK Labour party, the FT reports.  

In January, Tulip Siddiq, then anti-corruption minister and a close ally of Starmer, was forced to stand down after being engulfed in corruption allegations.

These were related to her receiving material support, including property, from figures connected to the Awami League. Sheikh Hasina is Siddiq's aunt.

Siddiq, who remains an MP, has denied any wrongdoing, but resigned her ministerial position.

This week, she event sent a letter asking to meet Yunus.

She said she wanted to clear up the "misunderstanding".

Yunus has, however, said he would not meet Siddiq.

"This is a legal issue . . . a legal process," he said of the investigations into Siddiq's affairs.

"It's not personal involving me."

Yunus said that, during the 16 years of Sheikh Hasina's rule, she turned her "power into an opportunity to grab money" for some relatives and associates. There had been a "big looting process", he said.

Bangladesh authorities estimate that about $234bn was siphoned off while Sheikh Hasina was in power and the UK was a prime destination for "stolen" funds.

UK visit just the start: Yunus

Meanwhile, CA Yunus has named Canada, Singapore, the Caribbean and the Middle East as other destinations for allegedly misappropriated assets.

He said the trip to the UK was "just the beginning" and he was planning further visits.

His administration was looking to get support from "all directions" in the UK, including businesses, financial institutions, the police and all intelligence agencies, he added.

"We need the support from the people of Great Britain," he said.

His team still hoped to meet the UK prime minister, they said.