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British MP Tulip Siddiq has accused Bangladeshi authorities of conducting a smear campaign by making "false and vexatious claims" against her in the media without ever contacting her directly.
In a statement posted on social media platform X on Wednesday, Tulip said: “The Bangladesh authorities have been making false allegations about me to the media for months, but they have never contacted me directly.”
Tulip, a niece of Bangladesh's deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, is in the crosshairs of authorities in Bangladesh as part of an ongoing corruption investigation involving her aunt, according to bdnews24.com.
The Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn said her lawyers had reached out to the relevant authorities over two weeks ago, urging them to stop making "baseless allegations" to the press and inviting them to raise any legitimate questions with her directly. The deadline for a response has since passed, with no reply from the Bangladeshi side, she added.
“Instead, they continue to smear me with false and vexatious claims in the media,” Tulip said.
“I have provided detailed rebuttals of all the allegations they have made through the media, acting in good faith despite the lack of return courtesy. Their lack of response speaks volumes.”
Tulip also addressed the role of Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission, which she said has made no attempt to contact her formally. “If the so-called Anti-Corruption Commission in Dhaka has any questions, they know how to contact me,” she said.
Highlighting "due process", "the rule of law" and a "tradition of fair play" as hallmarks of British democracy, Tulip added: “I would happily respond to any legitimate questions, but I will not be drawn into dirty politics, nor allow their witch-hunt to undermine my work as a British citizen and proud member of the UK Parliament.”