Saima Wazed resigns as WHO Regional Director after adverse internal report

Saima Wazed, daughter of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has resigned as Regional Director of the World Health Organisation’s South-East Asia Region, a day after the region’s governing committee recommended that her appointment be terminated. Her departure follows months of scrutiny over allegations of financial fraud, academic credentials and a disputed land acquisition in Bangladesh. Wazed has denied wrongdoing.

Wazed submitted her resignation on September 9, 2026, according to a statement from the WHO. The organisation said the matter would now be brought to the attention of members of the Regional Committee for South-East Asia and the WHO Executive Board in line with its governance arrangements.

The resignation came shortly after the Regional Committee, on September 8, recommended ending Wazed’s appointment as Regional Director. The WHO said that recommendation had been due to be considered by the Executive Board.

The organisation said the proceedings had been conducted through its established internal mechanisms.

“This matter has been handled through the appropriate WHO processes in accordance with the WHO’s regulatory framework,” the WHO told The Pioneer, adding that the process was carried out with due regard for “fairness and due process.”

“On 9 September 2026, Ms Saima Wazed resigned as Regional Director for the WHO South-East Asia Region. The resignation is being communicated to the Regional Committee and the Executive Board in accordance with WHO’s governance arrangements. The previous day, the Regional Committee had recommended termination of her appointment. The matter has been handled in accordance with WHO’s regulatory framework and due process. Dr Nilesh Buddha will continue as Officer-in-Charge of the Regional Office pending the appointment of a new Regional Director,” WHO statement.

The organisation also said it had taken steps to protect its interests and ensure it could continue fulfilling its mandate.

Wazed was elected to a five-year term as WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia in 2023 and began the role in early 2024. She was subsequently placed on unpaid administrative leave in July 2025 amid investigations and allegations concerning her conduct.

Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission filed cases against Wazed in March 2025, accusing her of fraud and forgery. The allegations have included questions surrounding a travel expense, her educational qualifications and the acquisition of a plot of land in Bangladesh.

Wazed has rejected the allegations. In relation to a disputed travel expense of $901 connected to travel to China, she reportedly said the issue resulted from an administrative mistake by an assistant handling routine reimbursement claims.

She has also defended her academic background, saying she holds an honorary doctorate linked to her work on autism in Bangladesh. Wazed reportedly said she had been transparent with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus about the qualification.

Another issue under scrutiny has been a plot of land in Bangladesh. Wazed denied illegally acquiring the property and said it had been obtained before she joined the WHO. She also argued that she was entitled to the property under Bangladeshi legislation concerning the families of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s founding leader and Hasina’s father.

Her case has unfolded against a wider backdrop of legal action involving former officials and political allies of Hasina following her ouster in 2024. Hasina has since been living outside Bangladesh.

The WHO said Dr Nilesh Buddha will remain as Officer-in-Charge of the South-East Asia Regional Office while the organisation proceeds with the appointment of a new Regional Director.

Regional directors hold senior positions within the WHO and oversee the organisation’s work across their respective regions, including public-health programmes, disease-response efforts and emergency coordination.

Wazed’s resignation brings an end to a turbulent tenure at the regional office, while the formal process for selecting her successor is expected to determine the next leadership of WHO’s South-East Asia operations.

In her resignation letter, Wazed criticised the WHO leadership and said she had lost confidence in Tedros.

“I was elected to the position of Regional Director to serve the countries in my region, which I had sincerely done,” as per Saima’s resignation letter.

She said the WHO’s decision to keep her on leave had prevented her from carrying out her responsibilities. “Since you continue to prevent me from effectively carrying out my duties, I have lost all trust and confidence in your leadership of WHO,” she wrote.

She also said that going nearly a year without remuneration had made her financial situation “untenable”. “In these circumstances, I am choosing to step aside,” Wazeb wrote.