In a resignation letter sent to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday, September 9, she announced her decision to step down from her duties with immediate effect.
According to a Reuters report, the shockwaves of the bloody mass uprising in mid-2024 that toppled Sheikh Hasina's government are now visibly extending beyond her political allies to members of her family. Many political figures close to Hasina are currently facing various criminal charges including corruption in Bangladesh or are residing abroad like the former prime minister.
Saima Wazed assumed office as the WHO South-East Asia Regional Director for a five-year term in early 2024. However, following the political transition, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bangladesh filed a case against her in March 2025 on charges of fraud and forgery, leading to her being sent on mandatory leave in July of the same year. Subsequently, towards the end of last year, the WHO placed her on unpaid administrative leave.
According to a letter from Saima Wazed's lawyers sent to the WHO on July 3, reviewed by Reuters, the agency leveled allegations against her regarding 'financial fraud concerning a visit to China' and 'misrepresentation of educational qualifications.' However, Saima Wazed has denied these allegations from the outset.
Additionally, in her resignation letter to the Director-General, Saima mentioned that the WHO had also accused her of unlawfully acquiring a land plot in Bangladesh. In response, she stated that she had received the land prior to joining the WHO and was legally entitled to it under the law designated for family members of Bangladesh's founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
In the letter addressed to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Saima Wazed expressed a lack of confidence in the leadership, writing, 'I was elected to the position of Regional Director with the goal of serving the countries of my region and have discharged those duties with dedication. However, as you have continuously obstructed me from performing my duties, I have completely lost faith and confidence in your leadership at the World Health Organization.'
She further mentioned in the letter, 'Following the decision to place me on unpaid leave, having received no remuneration for nearly a year, my financial situation has become extremely critical. Under such circumstances, I am deciding to step down.' She declined to make any further comments on the matter. No formal immediate reaction was available from the WHO either. Previously, citing confidentiality, the organization had refrained from providing detailed information and only confirmed her status on leave.
Citing two internal sources within the organization, Reuters reported that the UN agency was planning to formally remove Saima Wazed. An anonymous source stated that the WHO will call for new nominations for this position on October 12, screen applications through December, and hold an election on January 24, 2027.
In global public health policymaking, the post of Regional Director is highly influential. This position holds the responsibility of leading health protection during any pandemic or emergency situation and implementing policies according to local contexts. Elections for this post are held every five years through votes from member countries in the South-East Asia region, including Bangladesh and India.
In explanation of the financial fraud regarding the China trip sent via her lawyers' July letter, Saima Wazed stated that it was essentially an administrative oversight that occurred during the submission of routine bills by her assistant, amounting to $901. Regarding her educational qualifications, she claimed that she had received an honorary doctorate degree in recognition of her work on autism in Bangladesh, and this qualification had been completely clarified to the WHO Director-General beforehand.
