Leaders and activists of the Awami League in the UK had campaigned in support of Keir Starmer during the election. However, at that time, Keir Starmer was not the Prime Minister. Additionally, when Starmer was in the opposition, members of the UK branch of the Awami League participated in a fundraising dinner organized to support him.
This information was revealed in a report by the UK-based media outlet The Telegraph on Thursday. The report was published amidst ongoing controversy regarding Tulip Siddiq, the UK’s Economic Secretary at the Treasury, who has been staying at the homes of individuals associated with the Awami League. Siddiq holds responsibility for tackling corruption in the financial sector.
Tulip Siddiq, the daughter of Sheikh Rehana, the sister of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was in Bangladesh during the student-led uprising last August. Sheikh Hasina is currently in India. During her 15 years in power, there have been incidents of attacks, arrests, and secret imprisonments of political opponents in Bangladesh. Extrajudicial killings have also occurred during this period.
The UK branch of the Awami League is still active, and its members have previously campaigned in support of Tulip Siddiq. In 2019, members of the UK Awami League, including its organizational secretary Abdul Ahad Chowdhury, campaigned for Keir Starmer in the Holborn and St Pancras constituency. This constituency is located next to Tulip Siddiq’s Hampstead and Kilburn constituency.
In photos, members of the Awami League can be seen distributing leaflets with Keir Starmer’s image on them while going door-to-door. They were also seen holding placards supporting Starmer’s party. On the same day, they campaigned in support of Tulip Siddiq. Furthermore, in other campaigns, individuals who directly expressed their support for the Awami League were observed.
Abdul Ahad Chowdhury has met Keir Starmer at several events, including a fundraising dinner for Starmer in 2016, which Abdul Ahad himself confirmed. The event was held at a restaurant. Additionally, in July, on the day of the UK’s general election, Abdul Ahad shared a photo on social media shaking hands with Starmer, captioned “Future Prime Minister, the Honorable Keir Starmer.” However, the exact date of the photo is unclear.
On the day of the 2019 UK general election, Abdul Ahad was also seen with a person named Abdul Shaheed Sheikh alongside Keir Starmer. On that day, Starmer was campaigning for the Labour Party candidate Sam Terry in the Ilford area. Abdul Shaheed is known to have worked for the Awami League in public relations. On the same day, Abdul Ahad also met Angela Rayner, who is currently the Deputy Prime Minister of the UK.
In addition to Abdul Ahad Chowdhury, Shah Shameem Ahmed and Syed Sajidur Rahman Farooq were also seen campaigning for Tulip Siddiq in the Hampstead and Kilburn areas in a 2019 photo. Shah Shameem identified himself as the office secretary of the UK branch of the Awami League, and Sajidur Rahman described himself as the general secretary. These members of the Awami League have openly supported Tulip in recent years, although it is unclear whether they continue to do so at present.
In Bangladesh, investigations are ongoing into allegations of corruption against Tulip Siddiq. The authorities, including agencies working to prevent money laundering, have requested information about her bank accounts and transactions from various banks. Additionally, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has initiated an investigation into claims of embezzlement of approximately £3.9 billion from infrastructure projects involving Tulip and her family members. Tulip Siddiq has denied all allegations. Furthermore, there have been concerns raised about her residence in various properties linked to supporters of Sheikh Hasina in the UK. This issue has led to calls for an investigation by the UK’s Prime Minister’s ethics advisor.
Meanwhile, questions have been raised regarding Keir Starmer’s visit to Bangladesh and his meetings with Sheikh Hasina. Starmer visited Bangladesh on a seven-day trip in 2016, which was organized by a group called ‘Labour Friends of Bangladesh,’ closely associated with Tulip Siddiq. A photo from that visit shows Starmer with the then Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali. He also met Sheikh Hasina in 2022. Additionally, while in the opposition, at least three UK ministers had met members of the then Awami League government.
