Tulip given flat by developer close to Hasina

Tulip Siddiq, the UK's finance and urban affairs minister, was gifted a two-bedroom flat in London by developer Abdul Motalif, a Bangladeshi-origin businessman with ties to ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. However, Siddiq did not disclose this property in any of her election affidavits, reports 'The Financial Times' on Friday (January 3) Bangladesh time.

According to the report, Motalif, who is a close associate of Sheikh Hasina, gifted Siddiq the flat in the King's Cross area in 2004. Motalif had purchased the property for £195,000 (approximately 29.4 crore taka) in January 2001. The flat was given to Siddiq as a gesture of gratitude, as her parents had financially supported Motalif during difficult times.

The report also highlighted that Siddiq lived in the King's Cross flat for a few years after receiving it and later rented it out. She currently earns an annual income of £90,000 (about 13.5 million taka) from the rental.

Despite the significant gift, Siddiq did not mention the flat in any of her election affidavits, only disclosing properties in the Highgate and Hampstead areas. Siddiq, who first ran for parliament in 2015, has since won four consecutive elections for the Hampstead constituency.

Motalif, now 70, resides in southeast London. His father was an elected member of parliament from the Awami League in Bangladesh from 2014 to 2024.