Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina’s daughter, Saima Wazed, has resigned as WHO Regional Director for Southeast Asia after allegations of fraud.
The UN agency and Bangladeshi authorities are investigating the allegations, Reuters reported. The report also noted that she is accused of misrepresenting her academic credentials, a charge she has denied.
Allegations surfaced against her in 2025 after Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission filed cases against her in March last year. The Commission alleged fraud, forgery, and misuse of power. She was sent on unpaid administrative leave by WHO in July 2025.
WHO accused Wazed of "committing financial fraud in relation to her travel to China" and of misrepresenting her academic credentials, the letter accessed by Reuters reported.
The development comes as Bangladesh continues to seek the extradition of Hasina and other Awami League leaders from India.
She had taken charge as regional director in 2024.
In her resignation letter to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Wazed said that she had "lost all trust and confidence" in his leadership.
“I was elected to the position of Regional Director in order to serve the countries in my region, which I had sincerely done," Wazed said in her resignation letter to Tedros. “Since you continue to prevent me from effectively carrying out my duties, I have lost all trust and confidence in your leadership of WHO."
“Moreover, after nearly one year without any remuneration following your decision to place me on unpaid leave, my financial situation has become untenable. In these circumstances, I am choosing to step aside," she added.
On the academic credentials allegation, Wazed said she holds an honorary doctorate for her work on autism in Bangladesh and had been transparent with Tedros about the qualification.
The WHO alleged that she had illegally acquired a plot of land in Bangladesh. While denying the allegation, Wazed said that she obtained the property before joining the WHO and was entitled to it under Bangladeshi law covering the families of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, her grandfather and Bangladesh’s founding leader.
Wazed's removal from her WHO role was welcomed by the then Bangladesh interim government as a step towards accountability.
