Tulip, Rushanara appointed as British ministers

Two MPs of Bangladeshi origin have been appointed to the cabinet of the UK's Labour government.

One of them is Tulip Rezwana Siddique (Tulip Siddiq), granddaughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and daughter of Sheikh Rehana, the younger sister of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The other is the UK’s five-time MP Rushanara Ali.

Tulip Siddiq will be taking on the role of City Minister, while Rushanara Ali will take charge as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The UK government published a press release on its website titled “Ministerial Appointments: July 2024” on 5 July.

According to the press release, Tulip Siddiq MP has been appointed as a Parliamentary Secretary (Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister).

In the UK general election, Tulip Siddiq was re-elected as an MP for the fourth consecutive term. She contested the polls from the Hampstead and Highgate constituency.

On the other hand, Rushanara Ali is the second Bangladeshi-born to join the newly elected Labour Party government in the United Kingdom. 

Rushanara Ali made history in 2010 as the first Bangladeshi-born British lawmaker after winning the Labour Party's nomination.