Tulip Siddiq has been ordered to attend a hearing in Bangladesh following allegations of corruption.
The former anti-corruption minister, who was forced to resign earlier this year after the accusations, has been told she could face a trial in her absence if she fails to appear before the court on July 20.
Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has opened several investigations into Ms Siddiq, alleging corruption in connection with the government of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted as the country’s prime minister last year.
But Ms Siddiq has claimed she is the victim of an “orchestrated campaign” and accused interim leader Prof Muhammad Yunus of “interfering with UK politics”.
Bangladeshi authorities previously said they had evidence to back up their claims of corruption and would pursue action through the country’s courts.
Tulip Siddiq had lived in several properties that were linked to the Awami League, her aunt’s party – Mikhail Metzel/The Associated Press
Ms Siddiq told Sky News in June: “I will not be allowing them to drag me into their world of dirty politics, and nothing is going to stop me from pursuing the job that I was elected to do with an overwhelming majority, which is representing the people of Hampstead and Highgate.
“So they need to stop this political vendetta, this smear campaign, and this malicious persecution right from the beginning.”
The latest court order was issued by the Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Court in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital city, which previously published an arrest warrant against Ms Siddiq in April.
It is unclear if Ms Siddiq will attend the hearing later this month, but a senior official in the Bangladeshi government said they would request Interpol to issue a red notice against her if she was convicted.
The MP had requested a meeting with Prof Yunus during an official visit to the UK earlier this year to “clear up” any misunderstandings. But he turned her down, saying he did not want to “interrupt a legal procedure”.
In a legal letter from June, the lawyers for Ms Siddiq said the interim leader had already unfairly influenced the inquiries through previous comments.
“The copious briefings to the media, the failure to respond to our letters, the failure to even ask to meet with and question Ms Siddiq during their recent visit to the United Kingdom are impossible to justify and completely inconsistent with a fair, lawful and serious investigation,” the letter said.
In May, Prof Yunus banned the Awami League, the political party that is still led by Sheikh Hasina, from standing in the coming elections. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Ms Siddiq had lived in several London properties that had links to her aunt’s party.
She referred herself to Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister’s standards adviser, who said he had “not identified evidence of improprieties”, but added it was “regrettable” that she had not been more alert to the “potential reputational risks” of the ties to her aunt.
Ms Siddiq said continuing in her Cabinet would be “a distraction” for the Government, but insisted she had done nothing wrong.
Representatives of Ms Siddiq have been contacted for comment.