Saima Wazed, the regional director for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) South-East Asia office and daughter of ousted Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, has been placed on leave amid a widening corruption investigation.
The news comes four months after Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed formal charges against Wazed, accusing her of fraud, forgery, and abuse of power.
Wazed, who assumed the WHO position in January 2024, had faced strong opposition from student-led movements following her mother’s removal from power in a mass uprising last August.
In an internal email, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus informed staff that Wazed would be stepping aside.
Assistant Director-General Dr Catharina Boehme will serve as Officer-in-Charge during her absence, the report said.
In a statement posted on Facebook, a spokesperson for Bangladesh’s transitional government leader, Muhammad Yunus, welcomed the WHO's decision.
“This is an important first step toward accountability,” the post read.
“But a lasting solution requires Wazed’s permanent removal, the revocation of her privileges, and a firm commitment to restoring integrity to this critical UN role.”
The ACC alleges that Wazed misrepresented her academic qualifications during her campaign for the regional directorship, including falsely claiming an honorary role at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in Dhaka.
The university has publicly disputed her claim.
Saima Wazed also faces accusations of leveraging her official position to funnel approximately $2.8 million from various banks to the Shuchona Foundation, an organisation she formerly led.
Arrest warrants for corruption cases
According to officials, Wazed has not returned to her office in Bangladesh in recent months and is believed to be avoiding authorities as arrest warrants have been issued for her, her mother, and other members of her family in connection with multiple corruption cases.
The World Health Organization’s South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) includes 11 member states and plays a pivotal role in public health strategy and implementation across the region.
Correction: An earlier version of this article had wrongly stated that WHO had accused Wazed of corruption. The corruption investigation is instead being carried out by Bangladesh’s interim government.
