Sheikh Hasina’s Daughter Saima Wazed Resigns as WHO Regional Head

Saima Wazed, daughter of ousted former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has resigned as the World Health Organization's (WHO) Regional Director for Southeast Asia, according to a resignation letter reviewed by Reuters.

Wazed stepped down on Wednesday after being placed on unpaid administrative leave amid investigations by the WHO and Bangladeshi authorities into allegations including financial fraud, forgery, misrepresentation of academic credentials and illegal acquisition of land.

Wazed has denied the allegations.

She took charge as WHO Southeast Asia regional director in early 2024 for a five-year term. Her resignation comes amid continuing political and legal fallout from Hasina's removal from power following the deadly uprising in Bangladesh in 2024.

Wazed Resigns From WHO Post

Wazed submitted her resignation to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday.

In the letter, she said she had been elected to serve the countries of the Southeast Asia region and had carried out those responsibilities.

However, she argued that being prevented from effectively performing her duties and remaining without remuneration for nearly a year had made her position untenable.

Wazed also criticised the WHO leadership's handling of her case and said she had lost confidence in Tedros' leadership.

She declined to provide further comment.

WHO Placed Her on Leave

The WHO placed Wazed on unpaid administrative leave after investigations into allegations concerning her conduct.

She was initially sent on leave in July 2025, following allegations filed against her by Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The commission, operating under Bangladesh's interim government, had filed charges against Wazed in March 2025 alleging fraud and forgery.

The WHO subsequently maintained that Wazed was under investigation while declining to provide detailed information publicly, citing confidentiality.

Financial Fraud Allegations

Among the allegations was suspected financial misconduct connected with Wazed's travel to China.

According to a letter from Wazed's lawyers to the WHO dated July 3, 2026, the organisation accused her of financial fraud relating to travel to China.

The same correspondence also referred to allegations that she had misrepresented her academic qualifications.

Wazed has denied the accusations.

The allegations remain allegations and have not been established as criminal findings against her through a final judicial determination.

Land Acquisition Dispute

Wazed's resignation letter also referred to an allegation concerning the acquisition of a plot of land in Bangladesh.

The WHO reportedly alleged that she had acquired the property illegally.

Wazed rejected that allegation, saying she had obtained the land before joining the WHO and was legally entitled to it under Bangladeshi law covering members of the family of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's founding leader and Hasina's father.

The dispute over the property forms part of the wider legal scrutiny surrounding Wazed in Bangladesh.

Fallout From Hasina Ouster

The controversy surrounding Wazed comes against the backdrop of the political upheaval that removed Sheikh Hasina from power in 2024.

Hasina left Bangladesh after a deadly uprising and has remained outside the country. Several figures associated with her government have since faced criminal proceedings or have gone into self-imposed exile.

The investigations involving Wazed illustrate how the political fallout has extended beyond Hasina's former political allies to members of her family.

Wazed herself held an international position independent of her mother's government, but her family connection has remained a significant part of the political context surrounding her case.

WHO Keeps Case Confidential

The WHO has largely declined to discuss the allegations publicly.

Last month, the organisation confirmed that Wazed remained on leave but said it would not provide further details because of confidentiality requirements.

The agency had not immediately responded to Reuters' request for comment following Wazed's resignation.

The lack of public details means that several aspects of the investigations remain unclear, including the status of individual allegations and any potential disciplinary findings by the WHO.

New Regional Election Planned

Wazed's departure is expected to trigger a process for selecting her successor as WHO Southeast Asia regional director.

Two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the WHO had been preparing to formally remove Wazed from the position.

According to one source, nominations for the regional director position were expected to open on October 12, followed by application vetting in December and an election on January 24.

The sources spoke anonymously because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Leadership Change Ahead

Wazed's resignation brings an early end to her five-year term at the WHO's Southeast Asia regional office.

Her departure follows months of uncertainty after she was placed on unpaid leave and became the subject of investigations in both Bangladesh and within the UN health agency.

For the WHO, the immediate priority will be to begin the process of selecting a new regional director while maintaining the work of its Southeast Asia office.

For Wazed, the resignation closes a turbulent period that has combined an international leadership role with legal and political scrutiny following the fall of her mother's government in Bangladesh.

The allegations against her remain contested, with Wazed denying wrongdoing and the WHO maintaining confidentiality over the details of its investigation.