Sheikh Hasina's daughter resigns as WHO regional director amid fraud allegations
Saima Wazed, the WHO South-East Asia regional director and daughter of former Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina, has resigned following fraud allegations and a long-term unpaid administrative leave. Wazed denies the accusations, citing a loss of trust in WHO leadership as the primary reason for her departure.
Why it matters
The resignation highlights ongoing political instability in Bangladesh and raises questions regarding governance and accountability within international health organizations.
Saima Wazed, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) South-East Asia Region head and daughter of ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, resigned on Wednesday (September 10, 2026) following fraud investigations by the U.N. agency and Bangladeshi authorities, according to sources.
The WHO placed Ms. Wazed, who took office in early 2024 for a five-year term, on unpaid administrative leave late last year. She was first sent on leave in July 2025, in a move that followed Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission filing cases for fraud, forgery, and misuse of power against.
The WHO accused Ms. Wazed of “committing financial fraud in relation to her travel to China” and of misrepresenting her academic credentials, according to a separate letter from her lawyers to the WHO on July 3, 2026. She has denied the allegations.
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