A Bangladeshi court issued an arrest warrant Sunday for a former United Kingdom minister over allegations of unlawful land acquisition in a residential area outside Dhaka, authorities said.
Tulip Siddiq, 41, of London, was named alongside her mother, Sheikh Rehana, and her aunt, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in a case brought by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission, officials confirmed. The warrant followed Siddiq’s failure to appear at a scheduled court hearing.
The case centers on claims that Siddiq and members of her family illegally acquired approximately half an acre of land in Purbachal, a planned township on the outskirts of the capital. The commission alleges Siddiq used political influence to secure government plots, resulting in the unlawful allocation of state-owned land.
Lawyers representing Siddiq denied the allegations, saying she had not received any formal notice or been informed of a hearing or arrest warrant. In a statement, they said there was “no basis at all” for charges and described the allegations as politically motivated.
Siddiq resigned from her ministerial role in January amid political scrutiny related to property deals reportedly linked to the Awami League, the ruling party led by Hasina until August. The commission also alleged Siddiq used a false notary to transfer a separate flat to her sister.
Her legal team previously called the case “false, vexatious and uncorroborated,” stating the property transfer was legitimate and properly registered with Bangladeshi authorities.