Saima Wazed, the Regional Director for the World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) and daughter of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been placed on indefinite leave, following formal corruption charges filed by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), according to a report by Health Policy Watch.
The move was communicated internally by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who announced that Assistant Director-General Dr. Catharina Boehme would take over as Officer-in-Charge during Wazed’s absence. The decision comes amidst growing scrutiny of Wazed’s conduct since her appointment to the position in January 2024.
Charges of Fraud, Forgery, and Misuse of Authority
In March 2025, the ACC filed official charges accusing Wazed of fraud, academic misrepresentation, and abuse of power. Among the allegations, Wazed reportedly falsified her academic credentials during her campaign for the regional director post, including an honorary position at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in Dhaka, a claim the university has since publicly denied.
The ACC further alleges that Wazed channelled approximately ₹23.4 crore ($2.8 million) from various banking sources into the Shuchona Foundation, a non-profit she previously led, raising concerns over conflict of interest and misuse of authority.
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Political Fallout and Arrest Warrants
Wazed, daughter of the ousted Sheikh Hasina, has not returned to her WHO office in Dhaka in recent months. She is believed to be evading Bangladeshi authorities, as arrest warrants have reportedly been issued for her, her mother, and other family members in multiple graft-related cases.
The charges follow the political collapse of Hasina’s government after a mass student-led uprising in August 2024. The transitional government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has vowed to root out systemic corruption. In a Facebook statement, Yunus’ spokesperson welcomed the WHO’s move, calling it “a necessary first step toward accountability.”
The WHO SEARO office, based in New Delhi, serves 11 member states and is responsible for health policy coordination across the region.
About the Author – Sahhil Taware is a B.Sc. LL.B. (Hons.) student at National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, with a keen interest in corporate law and tech-driven legal change.