As Bangladesh faces international scrutiny for its brutal crackdown on student protests, resulting in over 150 deaths and thousands of injuries, the silence of Tulip Siddiq, a British MP and niece of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has become increasingly conspicuous.
Sheikh Rehana recently expressed joy and sought prayers for her daughter, Tulip Siddiq, who won her fourth election in the UK with 23,432 votes. Since July 9, 2024, Siddiq has held the positions of Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister.
Rehana emphasized Tulip's dedication and hoped she would serve with honesty and commitment. Despite her initial hopes for Tulip to pursue other careers, such as teaching or law, she acknowledged Tulip's independent choice to enter politics.
However, there has been criticism regarding Tulip Siddiq's silence on issues of power and human rights abuses in Bangladesh, which remains a contentious topic amid her political career.
The Context
Recent events in Bangladesh have seen unprecedented violence against student protesters demanding fair reforms. Despite the severity of the situation and her influential platform, Tulip Siddiq has not publicly condemned the actions of her aunt’s government.
A tweet by journalist Dilly Hussain encapsulated this sentiment, stating, "Pin drop silence from @TulipSiddiq, the niece of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her aunt’s brutal crackdown on peaceful student protestors across Bangladesh. Over 150 dead and more than a thousand injured."
This silence is particularly striking given Siddiq's active involvement in other human rights campaigns, such as her advocacy for the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe from Iranian detention. Her selective activism raises questions about her motivations and the pressures she may face due to her familial connections.
A Consistent Pattern of Silence
Tulip Siddiq’s reluctance to address controversial issues in Bangladesh extends beyond the current protests. Historically, she has avoided speaking out against numerous human rights abuses and political suppressions orchestrated by her aunt's administration. This includes the suppression of opposition parties, curtailment of free speech, and systematic targeting of dissidents.
In 2017, the Guardian reported on the case of Mir Ahmad bin Quasem, a British-trained Bangladeshi lawyer abducted by state security forces. Despite repeated appeals for Siddiq to use her influence to help, she remained silent. When confronted by Channel 4 News, Siddiq claimed that she had no sway over Bangladeshi politics and was focused on her responsibilities as a British MP.
This response was criticized, given her close family ties to the Bangladeshi government, including her uncle, Tarique Ahmed Siddique, who serves as the security adviser to the prime minister.
The families of enforced disappearance victims have accused Tulip Siddiq of complicity with human rights abuses in Bangladesh. Relatives of 86 men who vanished after being picked up by security forces said that Siddiq’s silence on the matter was akin to the behavior of their government. Their campaign group, Mayer Daak (Mother’s Call), urged Siddiq to raise their cases in parliament and with the government of Bangladesh.
Sanjida Islam Tulee, an organizer for Mayer Daak, whose brother was picked up by the authorities in 2013 and has not been seen since, contacted Siddiq, congratulating her on her work for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe but requesting her assistance in addressing the disappearances in Bangladesh.
Siddiq’s office responded that parliamentary protocol dictated that MPs could only represent their constituents, a claim refuted by Commons authorities who confirmed MPs can raise any issue in parliament.
Tulip Siddiq’s reluctance to address human rights violations in Bangladesh undermines the efforts of activists and organizations fighting for justice in the region. Her silence could be interpreted as tacit support for the actions of her aunt's government, which conflicts with her responsibilities as a public servant in the UK, where democratic values and human rights are upheld.
Matthew Turner, chairman and executive director of the Labour Campaign for Human Rights, praised Siddiq's campaign for Zaghari-Ratcliffe and urged her to support Mayer Daak. Turner emphasized the need for a strong champion in the UK parliament for the victims of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh.
Human rights organizations in Bangladesh have documented over 600 enforced disappearances since Sheikh Hasina came to power in 2009, with more than 400 extrajudicial killings by security forces reported last year. The silence from Siddiq, who has significant familial and political ties to Bangladesh's ruling party, stands in stark contrast to her advocacy for other human rights issues.
The Case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
Tulip Siddiq's advocacy for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian charity worker detained in Iran, was widely applauded. Zaghari-Ratcliffe's detention was part of a larger political play by Iran, using her as leverage to force the UK to pay a longstanding debt of £400 million. Siddiq's steadfast support for her constituent over six years, involving imprisonment and house arrest in Iran, showcased her dedication to human rights.
However, Siddiq's strong stance on Zaghari-Ratcliffe's detention contrasts sharply with her silence on human rights abuses in Bangladesh.
While she championed the cause of a constituent detained by a foreign government, she has done little to address the plight of those subjected to enforced disappearances by her own family's regime in Bangladesh.
Human Rights Watch has documented over 600 cases of enforced disappearances in Bangladesh since 2009, many involving political opponents and activists.
Despite her powerful position and family connections, Siddiq has consistently failed to speak out against these abuses. Her family's control over Bangladesh's ruling party, the Awami League, further complicates her stance.
In a Channel 4 News interview, Siddiq defended her silence, saying, "You don’t get to be where she [Sheikh Hasina] is by listening to your niece on national security issues … There are two words she’d say to me: ‘Fuck off.’ People need to realize the limitations that I have, how far removed I am from it. When they ask me to intervene, it makes me look a lot more powerful than I am."
This statement attempts to downplay her influence within the Bangladeshi political sphere, yet her family connections suggest otherwise. Her mother, Sheikh Rehana, is Prime Minister Hasina’s closest confidant; her cousin, Sajeeb Wazed, is a key government adviser; and her brother, Radwan Siddiq, is a prominent figure within the ruling party. These ties indicate that Siddiq has significant potential leverage, yet she chooses not to use it.
Allegations of Corruption and Controversies
Tulip Siddiq has also been embroiled in several controversies, further complicating her public image. According to media reports, Siddiq mediated a controversial billion-dollar arms deal between Bangladesh and Russia in 2013. She allegedly played a key role in the ongoing Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project in Bangladesh, under Russian assistance.
Reports claim that Siddiq and her family members received financial benefits from these dealings, with significant sums allegedly deposited in offshore bank accounts.
Additionally, documents obtained by Bangla Outlook revealed that in 2011, amidst Bangladesh's political turmoil, Siddiq's uncle General Tarique Ahmed Siddique and Salman Fazlur Rahman, a close advisor to Sheikh Hasina, attempted to secure second citizenship for themselves and their families through the "Citizenship-by-Investment" program of St. Kitts and Nevis. Both applications were ultimately rejected due to adverse findings in World-Check reports, citing allegations of corruption, embezzlement, and links to organized crime.
Further background checks revealed General Siddique’s ownership of shares in Destiny Bank Limited, a subsidiary of the controversial Destiny Group, and his wife’s involvement in Prochhaya Limited, a real estate company implicated in illegally obtaining valuable government lands. These associations have raised serious concerns about the extent of corruption within Siddiq's extended family and their potential influence over Bangladesh's governance.
Major General Tarique Ahmed Siddique has been accused of using military intelligence agents to abduct and interrogate people to settle business disputes involving his wife. Colonel Shahid Uddin Khan, a former business associate currently living in self-exile in the UK, claims that Siddique used state security officers to abduct his employees in Dhaka. Documents obtained by Al Jazeera support Khan's allegations, highlighting the abuse of power within Siddiq’s family.
Khan alleges that his employees were taken to the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) headquarters, blindfolded, and interrogated about his businesses.
A Call for Accountability
It is imperative for Tulip Siddiq to recognize the weight of her silence and the potential impact of her voice. Speaking out against the violence and human rights abuses in Bangladesh could lend significant support to those fighting for justice and reform. It would also align her actions with the democratic principles she represents as a UK MP.
Breaking her silence would enhance Siddiq’s credibility and demonstrate her commitment to human rights and justice, irrespective of personal and familial ties. It is a call for her to balance her political career with ethical responsibilities, acknowledging that her unique position carries an obligation to speak out against oppression.
