A Bangladeshi politician has called for former Labor MP Tulip Siddiq to be extradited to the country as she is under investigation over corruption claims.
The former anti-corruption minister resigned from her post last week after the Mail revealed she was facing a major corruption investigation in Bangladesh.
Ms Siddiq is currently under investigation for her ties to her aunt Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted as Prime Minister of Bangladesh in August over allegations of corruption and brutality.
She is said to have been involved in mediating a 2013 deal with Russia over a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh, which allegedly involved the embezzlement of billions.
Ms Siddiq has also been named in a second investigation into the illegal allocation of land to members of her family during her time as an MP.
Following the claims, Bobby Hajjaj, the founder and chairman of the Nationalist Democratic Movement, called for her to be extradited to Bangladesh to “face law enforcement action.”
Hajjaj told Guido Fawkes that Tulip reportedly has dual citizenship for both Britain and Bangladesh and claimed he would urge the country's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to ask her to return.
“So from our side, we will definitely urge the ACC and law enforcement here to ask Tulip to face law enforcement or appear in court here,” he added.
Tulip Siddiq (pictured) resigned from government last week after the Mail revealed she was facing a major corruption investigation in Bangladesh
Ms Siddiq and Sir Keir, whose constituencies border each other, at the 2015 election results
Following the revelations, Bobby Hajjaj (pictured), the founder and chairman of the Nationalist Democratic Movement, called for her to be extradited to Bangladesh to “face law enforcement action.”
Mr Hajjaj also claimed that the Labor government was 'strongly supported by confidants of the dictatorial regime'.
“Labor and the Awami League party have been almost sister parties and know the human rights violations very well,” he said.
When asked whether the British government would press Ms Siddiq to comply with an extradition order, the prime minister's spokesman told Guido Fawkes they would “not go into mortgages”.
Ms Siddiq's handling of the crisis over her aunt Sheikh Hasina's ties has raised questions about the prime minister's political judgment.
The day before her departure, No 10 expressed “full confidence” in her, despite several weeks of damaging headlines.
Ms Siddiq then referred herself last week to Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister's ethics adviser, after mounting questions about her use of property linked to her aunt.
Sir Magnus said it was 'regrettable' that she had not been more alert to the reputational risks of her family ties to Bangladesh's ousted former prime minister.
Ms Siddiq acknowledged that continuing as finance minister would be a 'distraction from the work of the government'
Ms Siddiq (left) with her aunt, Sheikh Hasina (centre) and Vladimir Putin (right) in 2013
She was replaced by Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds, who will take over her role at City.
Questions immediately arose about the appointment after it emerged that she had lobbied the previous government to weaken restrictions on Chinese business activities.
Ms Reynolds will be replaced by former head of the Resolution Foundation and now Labor MP Torsten Bell.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused the Prime Minister of 'weak' leadership and questioned whether he had delayed the process because of his friendship with the minister.
She said: “It was clear last weekend that the anti-corruption minister's position was completely untenable. Yet Keir Starmer hesitated and postponed it to protect his good friend.
'Even as Bangladesh files a criminal case against Tulip Siddiq, he expresses 'sadness' over her inevitable resignation.
'Weak leadership from a weak prime minister.'
The Institute for Government said the handling of the row showed Labor was not yet used to government scrutiny.
It added: 'Having been so quick to loudly criticize the last government for its perceived failings in ethics and integrity, Starmer and his team must show that they truly understand how important it is to meet the standards that they promised to enforce once in power.”
Liberal Democrat spokesperson Sarah Olney said: 'It is true that Tulip Siddiq has resigned, you cannot have an anti-corruption minister embroiled in a corruption scandal.'
