Mohammad Ali Arafat, Executive Member of the Bangladesh Awami League and former State Minister for Information and Broadcasting, has accused the Yunus administration of engaging in conspiracies and falsehoods against the Bangabandhu family as a diversionary tactic to cover up its governance failures.
In a statement addressed to the nation and journalists, Arafat remarked, “Over the past five months, the unlawfully installed Yunus government has spread lies about the Bangabandhu family to mask its incompetence in every sector.”
This statement comes amid growing dissatisfaction and protests at home against the interim government’s governance failures. Arafat noted that the administration has resorted to targeting Sheikh Hasina’s family, including UK MP Tulip Siddiq, to distract from its shortcomings.
Smear Campaign Against Tulip Siddiq
A central focus of the allegations against Tulip Siddiq is the claim that $5 billion was misappropriated from Bangladesh’s $12.65 billion Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project, a collaboration with Russia’s state-owned Rosatom. Tulip Siddiq, the niece of Sheikh Hasina, has been implicated due to her familial ties, despite having no direct involvement in the project.
Rosatom, the Russian company behind the project, categorically denied these allegations, stating its commitment to transparent working practices, strict anti-corruption policies, and openness in procurement processes.
To uphold her integrity, Tulip Siddiq referred herself to Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards Sir Laurie Magnus, for an independent review. Sir Laurie’s investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing.
In his assessment, Sir Laurie stated, “I have not identified evidence of improprieties connected with the actions taken by Ms. Siddiq and/or her husband in relation to their ownership or occupation of the London properties that have been the subject of press attention.” He further emphasized, “There is no evidence suggesting that Ms. Siddiq’s or her husband’s financial assets, as disclosed to me, derive from anything other than legitimate means.”
Despite being cleared of any wrongdoing, Siddiq resigned as Parliamentary Secretary in the UK Treasury Ministry on January 14 to avoid distracting from the government’s work. In her resignation letter, she wrote, “Although an investigation into my financial affairs found no breach of the ministerial code of conduct, my position is likely to be a distraction from the work of the government. I have therefore decided to resign from my ministerial position.”
An independent review has confirmed that I have not breached the Ministerial Code and there is no evidence to suggest I have acted improperly.
— Tulip Siddiq (@TulipSiddiq) January 14, 2025
Nonetheless, to avoid distraction for the Government, I have resigned as City Minister.
Here is my full letter to the Prime Minister. pic.twitter.com/kZeWZfEsei
Prime Minister Keir Starmer accepted her resignation, expressing appreciation for her contributions. He noted, “I recognize there is no evidence of financial improprieties against you. I appreciate that to end ongoing distractions from delivering our agenda to change Britain, you have made a difficult decision. The door remains open for you in the future.”
Arafat labeled the allegations against Siddiq as part of a broader agenda to tarnish her reputation and destabilize her international image. He noted that the accusations originated from an unverifiable entity, Global Defense Corp. “The Yunus government used this nonexistent entity as a source to propagate fabricated news through most Bangladeshi media,” Arafat said.
He further criticized the administration for conducting investigations through its institutions to lend credence to the baseless claims. He noted that British media outlets reported that Tulip Siddiq’s resignation was unrelated to any misconduct.
Arafat remarked, “The coordinated efforts to spread these falsehoods show a calculated attempt to discredit the Bangabandhu family and undermine their influence.”
Faltering Economy and Squeezing Press Freedom
Arafat condemned the Yunus government for its failures in governance and economic management, as well as its suppression of the media.
“After seizing power illegally, the Yunus government increased project costs but blocked any related news from publication. This illegitimate regime imposes invisible control over Bangladeshi media. While they claim to support press freedom, they actively censor news supporting the Liberation War spirit, demonstrating their hypocritical politics,” Arafat said.
He added, “Thousands of crores of capital have disappeared from the stock market under this administration. The government has failed to provide any logical explanation for this. Commodity price hikes are causing immense hardship for ordinary people, and the government is unable to control the market. Meanwhile, Professor Yunus secured a tax exemption worth 666 crores for one of his organizations but imposed increased taxes on over 100 essential goods for the general public. The World Bank has already warned of rising inflation and commodity prices in Bangladesh this year.”
Arafat emphasized that the administration’s attempts to divert public attention from these failures through smear campaigns and misinformation reflect desperation. He concluded, “The unlawfully established Yunus administration is spreading propaganda against the Awami League and pro-Liberation War forces to mislead the public and conceal its failures. This is a desperate attempt to distract the nation from their incompetence.”
