New Delhi (TDI): Saima Wazed, daughter of ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has resigned as the World Health Organization’s regional director for Southeast Asia amid fraud investigations by the UN health agency and Bangladeshi authorities.
Wazed submitted her resignation on Wednesday, nearly a year after being placed on unpaid administrative leave. The WHO said a committee had recommended her dismissal one day before she stepped down.
Wazed took office as WHO regional director in early 2024 for a five-year term. She was first placed on leave in July 2025 after Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission filed charges against her, alleging fraud and forgery.
The WHO has accused Wazed of financial fraud related to travel to China and of misrepresenting her academic qualifications. It also alleged that she illegally acquired a plot of land in Bangladesh. Wazed has denied the allegations.
In her resignation letter to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Wazed said she had been prevented from carrying out her responsibilities effectively and had lost confidence in the organization’s leadership.
She also cited the financial impact of remaining on unpaid leave for nearly a year, saying her situation had become untenable and that she had decided to step aside.
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Wazed disputed the allegation concerning the land, saying she had acquired the property before joining the WHO and was entitled to it under Bangladeshi legislation covering the families of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s founding leader and Hasina’s father.
The WHO said Wazed’s resignation would now be considered by its regional committee and executive board. A spokesperson said the case had been handled with due regard for fairness and due process while protecting the organization’s interests and ability to fulfil its mandate.
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The resignation comes amid wider legal and political fallout from Hasina’s ouster following a deadly uprising in Bangladesh in 2024. Several of her political allies face criminal cases, while Hasina herself has remained in exile.
The WHO said Dr Nilesh Buddha would continue as officer-in-charge of the Southeast Asia regional office until a new regional director is appointed. Earlier reports suggested the organization planned to begin accepting nominations for the position in October, with elections expected in January.
