Sheikh Rehana proud of Tulip Siddiq for her victory in British election

Sheikh Rehana has described daughter Tulip Siddiq’s election to British parliament as a ‘rare feat’ because, now, two members from one family will sit in parliaments of two different countries.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s granddaughter Siddiq will represent Hampstead and Kilburn constituency.

The Labour candidate polled 23,977 votes while her nearest rival from the Conservative party got 22,839 votes.

"My father was in Parliament, then my sister and now my daughter. There cannot be a more proud moment than this," Rehana said.

“It is rare in the world to have two parliamentarians of different countries from one family,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s sister said.

Siddiq’s mother said her victory renewed her pride and hoped the Labour MP would work for all following Bangabandhu’s ideal.

“He (Bangabandhu) always used to insist to be by the side of the helpless, to help people, to look after the suppressed and to move forward with devotion with these ideals in mind,” Rehana recalled.

“I am not involved in politics. But it is in my blood,” she added.

Two other Bangladesh-origin women, Rushanara Ali and Rupa Huq, were also elected to the British parliament.

‘A victory against Jamaat, BNP’

Sheikh Rehana said it was not easy for a Bangladesh-origin to become a legislator of another country.

“A little girl...many tried nasty things against her. But nothing worked,” she said, thanking the Almighty.

The diminutive Tulip Siddiq, who turns 33 this September, is a much bigger head-turner for British-Bangladeshis as well as those back in the South Asian country.

The connection to Bangladesh’s political royalty has been a double-edged sword for the British politician.

The granddaughter of Bangladesh’s founding father saw some nasty propaganda for the political lineage.

Britain’s right-wing press has seized the opportunity whenever Hasina’s right-wing opponents in Bangladesh have come up with something silly such as a group photo with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

Her elder brother Radwan Mujib Siddiq alleged BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami tried to stop her with propaganda.

“Tulip had to fight against those nasty things,” he said.

“Those of the Bangladeshi community here who helped her were threatened and illegal leaflets were distributed,” he said.

He thanked the voters for not paying heed to BNP, Jamaat’s propaganda from Bangladesh.