Tue Jan 14 16:37:40 UTC 2025: ## UK Minister Resigns Amidst Corruption Probe Linked to Ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister

**London, January 15, 2025** – Tulip Siddiq, the UK’s Minister for Financial Services, resigned on Tuesday following weeks of scrutiny over her financial ties to her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh. While an investigation cleared Ms. Siddiq of breaching the ministerial code of conduct, she cited the potential for distraction from government work as the reason for her resignation.

Ms. Siddiq’s resignation marks the second ministerial departure in two months, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer whose approval ratings have dropped since the Labour Party’s July election victory. Her portfolio, which included anti-money laundering measures, has been swiftly assumed by Emma Reynolds, the former Pensions Minister.

The controversy stems from a Bangladeshi investigation into alleged billions of dollars in financial irregularities, including a $12.65 billion nuclear power contract. The investigation names both Ms. Hasina and Ms. Siddiq as potentially benefiting from the alleged embezzlement. Ms. Hasina, ousted last year amidst widespread protests, is currently under investigation for corruption and money laundering.

The allegations against Ms. Siddiq include the use of properties in Britain linked to Ms. Hasina and her supporters. Documents revealed Ms. Siddiq lived in a north London property gifted to her family by a lawyer representing Ms. Hasina’s government and acquired another London property from a developer connected to Ms. Hasina’s party without paying.

The interim government of Bangladesh, through its Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, has called for a thorough investigation into assets linked to stolen funds and demanded the return of any assets proven to have been obtained through embezzlement. Professor Yunus also suggested Ms. Siddiq may not have been fully aware of the origins of the funds and properties but should seek forgiveness from the Bangladeshi people. The interim government is collaborating with international law enforcement agencies to recover the stolen funds. The ongoing investigation focuses on alleged misappropriation of $5 billion linked to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.

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