Dhaka, April 16 -- The former City minister Tulip Siddiq has said an arrest warrant issued against her in Bangladesh over allegations she illegally received a plot of land from her aunt, the country's ousted former prime minister, is a "politically motivated smear campaign".

Speaking to reporters on Monday, the Hampstead and Highgate MP said: "No one from the Bangladeshi authorities has contacted me. The entire time they've done trial by media. My lawyers proactively wrote to the Bangladeshi authorities, they never responded.

"I'm sure you'll understand I can't dignify this politically motivated smear campaign with any . comments. It's a completely politically motivated smear campaign, trying to harass me. There is no evidence that I've...