International Desk //

UK City Minister Tulip Siddique was forced to resign on Tuesday (January 14) under widespread pressure. She was forced to leave the ministry in the face of various allegations including receiving a flat as a gift from a person close to Sheikh Hasina and embezzling money from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.

Discussions and criticisms have been going on about her for the past few weeks. Which has not ended even after her resignation.

There was a heated debate in the British Parliament on Wednesday (January 15). At that time, the country’s opposition leader, Kemi Badonech, also mentioned the allegations made against Tulip by her chief advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

She said, ‘When the stock market was in turmoil, the Prime Minister was busy with the criticism against the former City Minister. The Prime Minister said yesterday that she was saddened by the resignation of her close friend (Tulip). (He is sad for someone) who was an anti-corruption minister, but is now under investigation for corruption himself.

Kemi Badonech also said at the time, ‘Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, an advisor to the Bangladesh government, has said that the London flat that the former city minister received as a gift may have been built with stolen money. So will the Prime Minister offer Bangladesh the cooperation of our National Investigation Agency to investigate this allegation. So that it is known that the assets that were bought in London with stolen money can be properly investigated.’

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer became a little angry at such a question. He said, ‘Speaker, the former city minister himself called for an investigation against him. It has been found that he did not violate any policy of the ministry. No irregularities were found against him. He has fully cooperated in the investigation. Last Monday he called for an investigation against himself. I received the report of it yesterday after a week.’

Then, referring to the opposition and an old investigation, Starmer said, ‘But if you compare this (Tulip’s resignation) with the shadow foreign secretary, it shows that she broke the policy while she was a minister. The report that was prepared against her was completely ignored. On the contrary, the independent investigator had to resign. Because he felt that his words were not being taken into account. And yet the shadow foreign secretary was performing the duties of the leader at the time. What a contradiction! Thank you to the British people, they removed the former government from power.’

Then, opposition leader Kim Badonech said, ‘The prime minister has not given any answer to the question of assisting Bangladesh in the investigation.’

Taking a dig at Keir Starmer, he said, ‘He knowingly made a fraudster the communications secretary. Who resigned a few days ago. Just a few days ago, he had full confidence in the anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddique. She also resigned yesterday in shame.’

A few days ago, the Bangladesh Anti-Corruption Commission filed a case. Where Tulip Siddique, along with her mother, siblings and aunt Sheikh Hasina, has also been accused.

It is said that they misused Sheikh Hasina’s power to get a plot allotted in Purbachal New Town.

A spokesperson for Tulip Siddique said, ”No evidence has been presented in support of these allegations. No one has ever contacted Tulip Siddique in this regard and she completely denies these allegations”.

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