Saima Wazed, Regional Director of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO), has been placed on indefinite leave effective Friday, July 11.
The decision comes four months after Bangladesh`s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed two cases against her, alleging corruption, fraud, and abuse of power.
In an internal email from WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, it was announced that Saima Wazed will be on leave, and Assistant Director-General Catharina Boehme will serve as Acting Regional Director in her absence.
Boehme is scheduled to take office at the SEARO headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday, July 15.
A senior UN official based in Delhi indicated that the initial leave period is for four months.
Concerns regarding Wazed’s appointment were reportedly raised during the World Health Assembly held in Geneva in May, where health ministry officials from Bangladesh expressed discomfort with her continued presence in the role.
Saima Wazed, the daughter of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina—who was ousted in a popular uprising and took shelter in India in August last year—has faced controversy since her appointment.
Allegations suggest her mother used political influence to secure her the SEARO post, a claim that added to the scrutiny surrounding her selection. Saima officially assumed her position in January 2024.
The ACC began an investigation into her conduct earlier this year. According to the charges, she allegedly misrepresented her academic qualifications during her campaign for the WHO position—an act considered a violation of Bangladesh Penal Code sections 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 471 (using a forged document).
Further allegations state that Saima falsely claimed to hold an honorary position at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), which the university later denied. The claim was allegedly used to bolster her credentials in communications with WHO.
In addition, as the head of the Shuchona Foundation, she is accused of using her influence to raise approximately $2.8 million USD from various banks, though the usage of the funds remains unclear, according to the case documents.
The ACC filed charges under Section 5(2) of the 1947 Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 420 of the Penal Code, which pertains to cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property.
Following the emergence of these allegations, Saima Wazed has faced travel restrictions within WHO’s South-East Asia region, and a court in Bangladesh has issued a warrant for her arrest.
