Bangladesh Court Orders Interpol Red Notice Against British MP Tulip Siddiq Over Corruption Case

Dhaka, Feb 2026 : A Bangladesh court on Thursday directed authorities to initiate proceedings for an Interpol “Red Notice” against British Member of Parliament Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, niece of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in connection with corruption allegations, according to local media reports.

The order was passed by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Sabbir Faiz following an appeal filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Court officials said the petition sought international assistance through Interpol to facilitate Siddiq’s arrest, as she is currently believed to be outside Bangladesh.

According to the appeal, filed by ACC Assistant Director AKM Mortuza Ali Sagar, Siddiq is accused of misusing the political influence of her aunt during Hasina’s tenure as Prime Minister. The prosecution alleges that Siddiq improperly benefited from her family connections to secure illegal possession of a residential flat in Dhaka’s upscale Gulshan area.

The ACC claims that Siddiq, by influencing a legal officer of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), obtained a flat developed by Eastern Housing Limited without making any payment. Investigators allege the property was acquired through the exchange of unlawful favours, constituting a serious breach of anti-corruption laws. Leading Bengali daily Prothom Alo reported that a formal case has already been registered against her in this regard.

With Siddiq residing abroad, the ACC argued before the court that a Red Notice was essential to trace, detain, and extradite her to face legal proceedings in Bangladesh. Accepting the plea, the court instructed the relevant authorities to take steps to approach Interpol, marking a significant escalation in the case.

The development comes amid heightened political tensions in Bangladesh following the return to power of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Analysts view the renewed legal actions against Hasina and her family as part of the long-running rivalry between the BNP and the Awami League, with accusations of political vendetta being raised by the opposition.

Earlier this month, a Dhaka court sentenced Sheikh Hasina to 10 years’ imprisonment in a corruption case related to the Purbachal plot scam. In the same proceedings, Tulip Siddiq was reportedly handed a four-year jail sentence. These rulings followed a series of verdicts in late 2025, when courts convicted Hasina in multiple cases linked to irregularities in land allocation under the Purbachal project.

On December 1, 2025, Hasina was sentenced to five years in prison in one such case, while her sister Sheikh Rehana received a seven-year term. Tulip Siddiq, in that instance, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. Just days earlier, on November 27, Hasina had been sentenced to a cumulative 21 years in prison across three separate corruption cases filed by the ACC.

Following those verdicts, Hasina and her family members strongly rejected all charges, describing them as “malicious, politically motivated and without any proper foundation.” They accused the authorities of pursuing a targeted campaign against them under the influence of rival political forces.

In a statement issued after one of the earlier rulings, the family criticised the then Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration, alleging that the ACC was functioning under the control of an unelected government. They claimed the cases were built on selective and biased evidence, leaving them with little opportunity to mount a fair defence.

The latest court order seeking an Interpol Red Notice against Tulip Siddiq is expected to have diplomatic and political ramifications, particularly given her status as a sitting British MP. How international agencies and foreign governments respond to Bangladesh’s request may shape the next phase of this high-profile legal and political saga.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)