Tulip disappointed as Yunus declines to meet in London

Tulip Siddiq, British MP and niece of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, has expressed disappointment over not being granted an audience with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus during his visit to London.

In a statement on Thursday, Tulip said: “I am disappointed that Prof Yunus declined to meet during his visit.”

Tulip had written to the interim prime minister on June 4 requesting a meeting during his four-day trip to the United Kingdom.

She hoped to speak with him to clarify what she called “misunderstandings” surrounding the corruption allegations she is facing in Bangladesh.

As part of her invitation, the former UK City minister had offered to host Yunus for lunch or afternoon tea at the House of Commons.

The Chief Advisor’s Office (CAO), however, has not issued any formal response to the request.

On Thursday, Yunus visited Westminster and met with House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, but did not respond to Tulip’s invitation.

Earlier, Yunus told the Financial Times (FT) that he would not meet Tulip.

“This is a legal issue… a legal process. It’s not personal involving me,” he said.

He accused Sheikh Hasina of transforming state power over the past 16 years into an “opportunity to grab money” for relatives and associates.

There had been a “big looting process”, he told FT.

The British daily published the report on Wednesday quoting Yunus.

The BBC also reported that Yunus declined to meet Tulip over the “corruption” issue, saying it was a “court matter”.

The chief advisor said he trusted Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission, which has initiated inquiries against her.

Reiterating her denial of all allegations, Tulip said in her Thursday’s statement: “He’s been at the heart of a political vendetta based on fantasy accusations with no evidence relentlessly briefed to the media.

“If this was a serious legal process they would engage with my lawyers rather than sending bogus correspondence to an address in Dhaka where I have never lived.”

“I hope he [Yunus] is now serious about ending the practice of smearing me in the press and allowing the courts to establish that their investigations have nothing to do with me - a British citizen and a proud member of the UK Parliament,” she added.

Tulip is a Labour Party MP for Hampstead and Highgate in London.

Facing allegations of irregularities and corruption in both the UK and Bangladesh, she stepped down from her post as UK City minister in January amid mounting criticism.

The Labour MP, known for her close ties to party leader Keir Starmer, has been accused of accepting flats as gifts from individuals linked to the Awami League.

She denies all “wrongdoing”.

In her letter to Yunus, Tulip wrote: “I hope this meeting will help clear the misunderstanding with the Anti-Corruption Commission in Dhaka, which has prompted questions about me in connection with my aunt, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.”