Sheikh Hasina's Daughter Resigns As WHO Regional Head After Fraud Allegations
Saima Wazed, daughter of former Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina, has resigned as the WHO's Southeast Asia regional head. Her departure follows fraud investigations and allegations of financial misconduct.
Why it matters
The resignation highlights the ongoing political fallout from the 2024 Bangladeshi uprising and its impact on the families of former leadership within international institutions.
Saima Wazed, the World Health Organization's Southeast Asia head and daughter of ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, resigned on Wednesday, according to her resignation letter seen by Reuters, following fraud investigations by the U.N. agency and Bangladeshi authorities.Wazed's case shows how the fallout from Hasina's ouster following a deadly uprising against her around mid-2024 has spread to her family members, beyond her political allies. Many of Hasina's allies face criminal charges, including for alleged corruption in Bangladesh, or live in self-imposed exile like Hasina.The WHO placed Wazed, who took office as its Southeast Asia regional director in early 2024 for a five-year term, on unpaid administrative leave late last year.
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