Saima Wazed resigns as WHO regional director after fraud probe
Saima Wazed, the daughter of ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, resigned on Wednesday as the World Health Organization’s Southeast Asia regional director following internal fraud probes that left her unpaid for over a year.
In an emailed statement to OCCRP, Wazed confirmed she had submitted her resignation, maintaining she has been “cleared of any financial fraud charges” and possesses evidence to prove it.
“Now that the investigation has been completed, I have decided to resign and move on. I need to work and return to giving my services to the world,” she said.
The 53-year-old, who assumed the regional director role in January 2024, was investigated by the U.N. health agency over allegations of financial fraud and misrepresenting her academic credentials during her post campaign.
According to a report by independent outlet Health Policy Watch, The WHO launched its probe after Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission filed two cases against her alleging fraud, forgery, and misuse of power. It found that found the allegations were unsubstantiated.
A letter from her lawyers seen by OCCRP revealed that the WHO also accused Wazed of financial fraud related to travel in China. In her resignation letter addressed to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Waze accused WHO leadership of waging a retaliatory, politically motivated "witch hunt" that drove her to financial exhaustion on unpaid leave.
“I have been on leave for nearly a year and a half, most of it without pay,” Wazed wrote in her email. “I am financially drained and mentally exhausted. I needed to participate in the investigation process and clear my name from all allegations, which I have done.”
Wazed denied all wrongdoing, dismissing the claims as “rumors” and adding that widespread disinformation influenced her decision to step down by “affecting my mental well-being.”
Separately, Wazed faces a corruption investigation in Bangladesh alongside her mother and brother, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, over allegations of fraud, illegal land allocations, and other abuses of power.
Hasina was removed from power in August 2024 following months of widespread protests. Currently living in self-exile in India, she was charged last year with ordering a deadly crackdown on protesters and sentenced to death in absentia.
The WHO regional office confirmed Wazed’s resignation to OCCRP, adding that the Regional Committee had recommended the termination of her appointment as Regional Director the day before she submitted it.
“This matter has been handled through the appropriate WHO processes in accordance with WHO’s regulatory framework, with due regard for fairness and due process, while safeguarding the interests of the Organization and its ability to fulfill its mandate,” the U.N. agency said.
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