Saima, the daughter of Hasina, has stepped down from her position as the WHO Regional Chief amid allegations of fraud

Saima Wazed has stepped down from her position as the WHO Southeast Asia regional director following investigations and allegations related to fraud concerning travel, credentials, and land.

Saima Wazed, the daughter of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheik Hasina, has stepped down from her position as the World Health Organization’s Southeast Asia regional director in light of ongoing fraud investigations by the U.N. agency and Bangladeshi authorities.

Wazed announced her resignation on Wednesday in a letter to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, which was viewed by Reuters, following nearly a year of unpaid administrative leave.

She was elected to the five-year position in early 2024 but was first placed on leave in July 2025 after charges were filed against her by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission in March, alleging fraud and forgery.

The WHO subsequently accused Wazed of “committing financial fraud in relation to her travel to China” and misrepresenting her academic credentials, as stated in a letter from her lawyers to the agency dated July 3, 2026, which was also reviewed by Reuters.

Wazed has refuted the claims.

The WHO also alleged that she unlawfully obtained a piece of land in Bangladesh, as stated in Wazed’s resignation letter. She stated that she obtained the property prior to her affiliation with the WHO and claimed her entitlement to it under Bangladeshi laws pertaining to the families of Sheik Mujibur Rahman, the leader of Bangladesh's independence and Hasina's father.

“I was elected to the position of Regional Director to serve the countries in my region, which I have sincerely done,” Wazed stated in her resignation letter.

“As you persist in hindering my ability to perform my responsibilities, I have completely lost trust and confidence in your leadership of WHO,” she wrote.

FFurthermore, my financial circumstances have become unmanageable after almost a year without any compensation because you chose to place me on unpaid leave.Given the situation, I have decided to withdraw.


Wazed chose not to provide additional comments, and the WHO has yet to respond to a request for their input.

Last month, the agency confirmed that Wazed was still on leave but chose not to disclose additional details, citing confidentiality.

Two sources informed Reuters that the WHO was in the process of formally removing Wazed from his position. According to one source, the agency is set to announce nominations for the position on October 12, review applications in December, and conduct elections on January 24.

Regional directors play a crucial role within the WHO, guiding responses to outbreaks and emergencies while tailoring the organization's policies to fit regional circumstances.

The directors are elected every five years by member states, which include Bangladesh and India, in the Southeast Asia region.

In a letter from July, Wazed’s attorneys dismissed the travel fraud claim, stating that an assistant had committed an administrative mistake during the handling of standard reimbursement requests totaling $901.

Regarding the allegation about academic credentials, Wazed stated that she possesses an honorary doctorate for her contributions to autism in Bangladesh and has been open with Tedros about this qualification.