The rise and fall of Tulip Siddiq: Blossoming under UK politics, withered by Bangladeshi politics

Illustration: TBS

Tulip Siddiq's ascendency to the role of City Minister in the UK was meant to be the highlight of her political career and moment of pride for Bangladeshis. 

Sure, she was not the only politician with Bangladeshi roots to have succeeded in the West — the UK has three other MPs of the same origin while the US has five representatives at the state level — but never before has a Bangladeshi-origin politician succeeded at such high level politics abroad.

But despite her bloom in UK politics, it is political upheaval in Bangladesh that led to her untimely withering, as she resigned on Tuesday. 

This was preceded by weeks of scrutiny over her financial ties to her aunt Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted as Bangladesh's prime minister just five months ago. 

Born in London to a prominent political family, with her maternal grandfather being Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh, and her aunt being Sheikh Hasina, who ruled the country for more than two decades, Tulip had a powerful head start in politics.

She joined the Labour Party in the UK and rose swiftly through the ranks of the party. She participated in a by-election for Camden Council in 2006 and lost. Four years later, she competed again and was elected as the first female Bangladeshi councillor for Camden, and was cabinet member for culture and communities until mid-2014.

In 2015, Tulip was elected as the member of parliament for the first time for Hampstead and Kilburn constituency. She was reelected in 2017, 2019, and finally in 2024 for the fourth consecutive term. This made her a prominent voice in British politics, and within the Labour Party as well.

Ties with the Awami League

Tulip's background, as the niece of Sheikh Hasina, was both a source of strength and scrutiny. Despite her familial ties with Hasina and her previously claiming herself a spokesperson and lobbyist for Awami League in the UK, Tulip later sought to establish the narrative that she was an independent force, and separate from the controversies surrounding Bangladeshi politics.

However, Tulip's connections to the Awami League and Sheikh Hasina began to raise questions inside the Labour Party and UK politics. Her attendance at events with high-ranking officials, including Vladimir Putin during a 2013 deal between Bangladesh and Russia, drew criticism.

At that time, she said that the involvement was mere personal, rather than political. She added that she was not a delegate of Bangladesh's ruling party, and went there as a family member to see her aunt. Yet, the photographs and reports from different sources suggested otherwise.

The situation escalated when Channel 4 journalists confronted Siddiq in 2017 about her potential influence over Bangladeshi affairs. Asserting her British identity, her prompt response could not put an end to all the suspicions around her involvement in Bangladesh politics.

Allegations emerged that she had received support from the UK branch of the Awami League in her election campaigns. Numerous Facebook posts of UK Awami League members suggested that they were actively working to secure an election win for Tulip. This eventually blurred the lines between Tulip's political career in Britain and her family's political influence in Bangladesh.

Further allegations and scandals

Tulip's downfall began in earnest with allegations of financial impropriety. In December 2024, she was accused of benefiting from properties linked to the Awami League. The properties in question include a flat near King's Cross, a Hampstead residence, and a rented £2.1 million home, all reportedly linked to figures associated with Hasina's government.

Denying the allegations, Tulip referred herself to an independent ministerial standards watchdog to investigate the issue. But this did little to quell concerns. Despite media backlash, the Labour Party leader and the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer showed confidence in her decision to seek an independent review.

Laurie Magnus, the UK Prime Minister's adviser on ministerial standards, found no rule violations, according to Stermer. But in his recommendation to the prime minister, Magnus advised that Tulip's role should be reassessed.

As allegations piled up, her position became untenable. Tulip's appointment as the UK's de facto anti-corruption minister was widely criticised by UK media and partymen as a "misstep".

After Hasina's ouster, Bangladeshi authorities filed cases accusing Hasina and others, including Tulip, of involvement in the embezzlement of Tk80,000 crore from nine infrastructural development projects.

In December 2024, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) began investigating the matter. According to court documents cited in a BBC report, the Bangladesh government allegedly inflated costs by $1 billion in a 2013 agreement with Russia for the construction of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Tulip is accused of facilitating this agreement.

After the initiation of the ACC's investigation, UK media reported on the matter further. Later, ACC officials said that they filed three different cases against Tulip's mother, Sheikh Rehana, sister Azmina Siddiq, and brother Radwan Mujib Siddiq for allegedly acquiring plots in Dhaka's Purbachal area through misrepresentation and abuse of power. Tulip and Hasina have also been named as defendants in all three cases.

As these allegations piled up, her position became untenable. Her appointment as the UK's de facto anti-corruption minister was widely criticised by the UK media and partymen as a "misstep". Along with the Awami involvement in her election campaign, coupled with her connections to a regime accused of widespread corruption and tyranny, she could not resist the pressure and had to resign.

Can Tulip blossom again?

While Tulip has denied all allegations and maintains her innocence, the damage to her reputation is irreparable. UK Prime Minister Starmer's acknowledgement of her contributions and statement that "the door remains open" suggests a potential comeback. 

But the question of whether she can regain public trust remains uncertain.

Another concern regarding her comeback is the support from her maternal family, as Sheikh Hasina is no longer in power and the chances of her party regaining power anytime soon is close to zero. 

Losing public trust, support from her party, and backing from a weakened Awami League has put Tulip's political career on the edge of a serious downfall.