Dhaka’s courts are turning up the heat on former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s family. In a bold move, a senior special judge has directed authorities to seek a Red Notice from Interpol against British Labour MP Tulip Siddiq, Hasina’s niece. This stems from corruption allegations tied to her time leveraging family influence during Hasina’s rule.
The order came Thursday from Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Sabbir Faiz, following an appeal by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). ACC Assistant Director AKM Mortuza Ali Sagar argued that Siddiq, a ruling party MP in the UK, illegally occupied a flat in Dhaka’s Gulshan area. Reports claim she pressured a RAJUK legal officer to hand over the Eastern Housing Limited property without payment, abusing her aunt’s power.
This case underscores the new BNP-led government’s crackdown on Awami League figures after Hasina’s ouster. Experts see it as political retribution amid Bangladesh’s turbulent transition. Siddiq, currently abroad, faces immediate arrest risks if the Red Notice is issued.
Background reveals a pattern. Earlier this month, Hasina got 10 years for the Porobochol plot scam, with Siddiq sentenced to four years. In December 2025, another court handed Hasina five years for plot allocation irregularities in the Porobochol project, Siddiq two years, and Hasina’s sister Sheikh Rehana seven. Last November, Hasina drew 21 years across three ACC cases.
Hasina’s camp dismisses these as ‘politically motivated fabrications’ by a biased interim government under Muhammad Yunus. They argue the ACC relies on one-sided evidence, denying any defense opportunity. As tensions simmer, this Interpol pursuit signals deepening rifts in Bangladesh’s political landscape, with international implications for Siddiq’s career.