Tulip Siddiq, the former City minister, has raised concerns that prosecutors may be plotting to employ “fake” documents to secure a conviction in her corruption trial in Bangladesh. Siddiq, who is being tried in absentia, spoke up following the publication of images of a Bangladeshi national identity card and passport, reportedly in her name, in UK and Bangladeshi newspapers. These documents, which appeared in the Times and Prothom Alo, a leading Bangladeshi paper, are alleged by Siddiq to be forgeries. She emphasized that no evidence has yet been presented and fears the documents could be the precursor to more fabricated evidence.
Siddiq, along with 20 other individuals including her relatives, has been on trial in Dhaka since early August. She is accused of improperly influencing her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, who was recently deposed as Prime Minister of Bangladesh, to secure a plot of land for her family in a Dhaka suburb. Siddiq denies these allegations, which she claims are politically motivated.
Keir Starmer’s independent adviser on the ministerial code found her clear of wrongdoing in January, despite a series of allegations originating from Bangladesh. However, the adviser also highlighted the regrettable lack of attention Siddiq had given to potential reputational risks stemming from her familial ties and her role in the Treasury. In response, Siddiq resigned from her positions as economic secretary to the Treasury and City minister, arguing the allegations from Bangladesh were a distraction for the government.
The published identity documents contradict Siddiq’s previous statements that she neither had a national ID card nor a valid Bangladeshi passport. Though Siddiq maintains these documents are false, she acknowledges her dual citizenship with Bangladesh and Britain, which she previously disclosed to the Treasury upon taking office.
Siddiq remains perplexed by the emergence of these alleged false documents, worrying they could be part of a larger strategy by those in Dhaka to fabricate evidence and manipulate the British press. She is concerned that these actions represent a worrying setup for further manipulation in her ongoing trial.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/21/tulip-siddiq-fears-plans-to-use-fake-documents-to-secure-conviction-in-corruption-trial
