Saima Wazed, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) controversial regional director for the South East Asia Regional Office (SEARO), was placed on leave Friday (11 July) – four months after Bangladesh’s Anti Corruption Commission  (ACC) filed two cases against her for fraud, forgery and misuse of power.

WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus notified staff in a brief internal email that Wazed would be on leave from Friday and that WHO Assistant Director-General Dr Catharina Boehme would “serve as the Officer in Charge” in Wazed’s place. Boehme will arrive at the SEARO office in New Delhi on Tuesday, 15 July, Tedros added. No date was given for Wazed’s return to her position.

Some of the charges against Wazed, daughter of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who fled the country last August after protests, stem from her bid to be appointed regional director.

Wazed was elected to the position by SEARO member states in November 2023, but her campaign was shadowed by claims that her influential mother used her influence to ensure her daughter’s position. Following the confirmation of her appointment by the WHO Executive Board, WHO Director Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus formally appointed her to the position in February 2024. Only a few months later, widespread protests prompted Hasina’s resignation and flight from the country on 5 August.

In January 2025, the ACC launched an investigation into claims that she had forged documents during her campaign to become WHO regional director and misused funds collected for a foundation that she previously headed, as previously reported by Health Policy Watch.

According to formal charges filed by the ACC in March, Wazed is alleged to have provided false information about her academic record during her campaign for regional director, violating Section 468 of the Bangladesh Penal Code (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and Section 471 (forging a document).  

The ACC also alleges she misrepresented her qualifications by claiming an honorary role at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, which the university disputes, to secure her WHO position. The charges were detailed  by ACC Deputy Director Akhtarul Islam.

Wazed is also accused of having misused her power and influence to collect about $2.8 million from various banks for the Shuchona Foundation, which she used to head.  

The ACC case did not provide complete details on how the money was then used. But it said that charges include: allegations of fraud and misuse of power under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property); as well as Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1947.

After the charges were set out, a warrant was issued for Wazed’s arrest in Bangladesh. As a result, the WHO office in Bangladesh has reportedly refused to work with her as RD, while Wazed has been unable to travel to other countries in the South-East Asia Region.

*Additional reporting by Elaine Ruth Fletcher.

Image Credits: WHO.