Tulip, her lawyer undermining their own country: ACC chairman

The Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen has said that British lawmaker Tulip Siddiq and her lawyer are undermining their own country by accusing Bangladesh's institutions of interfering in UK politics.

Speaking to journalists outside the ACC headquarters today, the chairman responded to a letter sent by Tulip's legal team, in which they alleged that the ACC and Bangladesh's interim government were attempting to influence British political affairs.

"The ACC is not interfering in British politics. Is their politics so fragile that a single lawsuit against one person would cause its collapse? Is that even realistic?" he said.

He urged Tulip's lawyer to be more careful in choosing words, saying, "They are diminishing their own country by such claims. This only proves their lack of confidence in their own political system. The ACC operates within its legal framework. We have no space to involve ourselves in politics."

Referring to the legal procedures, the ACC chairman said Tulip Siddiq should appear in court and face the charges like any other accused.

"It seems she is trying to resolve the matter through letters. But that is not how it works. The case is now under judicial consideration, and she must appear before the court to respond," he added.

He said, "The case against Tulip is not politically motivated. This is not a targeted effort to defame anyone. Like many others, Tulip Siddiq is simply an accused in a corruption case. We are handling cases far more significant than this."

The chairman also confirmed that the ACC considers Tulip a Bangladeshi citizen. "She holds a national ID and a Tax Identification Number (TIN) in Bangladesh. The case has been filed accordingly. We believe she will follow Bangladeshi law and respond to the charges properly."

The ACC filed a case against Tulip Siddiq on April 15, alleging that she facilitated the illegal transfer of a plot in Dhaka's Gulshan area and received a flat as a bribe from Eastern Housing Limited. The commission summoned her for questioning twice—first on May 14 and again on June 22. However, Tulip claimed through the media that she did not receive the summons.

On June 23, she sent a legal notice to both chief adviser of the interim government Prof Muhammad Yunus and the ACC, alleging they were attempting to interfere in British politics and damage her reputation.