Hasina’s daughter resigns as WHO regional head after fraud allegations

Saima Wazed, the daughter of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has resigned as the World Health Organization's (WHO) regional director for Southeast Asia, according to her resignation letter seen by Reuters. The decision comes after fraud investigations by both the UN agency and Bangladeshi authorities. Wazed, who assumed her position in early 2024 for a five-year term, was placed on unpaid administrative leave last year following allegations of financial fraud related to her travel to China and misrepresentation of her academic credentials by the WHO.

Wazed denies the allegations, stating that the land in question was acquired before she joined the WHO and was entitled to her under a Bangladeshi law covering the families of the country's independence leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She also claims that the travel fraud accusation was an administrative oversight by an assistant processing reimbursement requests.

Wazed's resignation letter reveals the impact of her family's political involvement on her career, with many of her father's political allies facing criminal charges for corruption or living in self-imposed exile. The WHO plans to formally remove Wazed, with nominations to be announced on October 12, followed by applications vetting in December and elections on January 24.