Saima Wazed, daughter of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, resigned as the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Director for South-East Asia amid ongoing investigations into fraud and other misconduct.
She left the post early and after a five-year term that started in February 2024.
On Wednesday, September 9, 2026, Wazed submitted her resignation. She had been on unpaid administrative leave by the WHO in July 2025 while investigations were ongoing.
The allegations are over money claims related to a trip to China, her academic credentials, and land acquisition in Bangladesh. Wazed categorically denied any wrongdoing and had previously questioned the actions taken against her.
The WHO regional chief position is a crucial part of the organisation and covers international health work across 11 countries in the South-East Asia Region with more than 2 billion people.
Wazed was the first person from Bangladesh and the second woman to take the position. She took office on February 1, 2024, after being approved by the WHO Executive Board.
Before joining the WHO leadership, Wazed was known for her work in mental health, autism, and disability inclusion.
She was also a mental health adviser to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and had been involved in a number of projects on mental health and neurodevelopmental disorders.
During her time as Regional Director, mental health was one of the top priorities. She stressed health equity, better healthcare systems, and technology to improve public health services.
Her resignation comes amid continued political and legal pressure on members and associates of Sheikh Hasina’s family after the former prime minister’s ouster in 2024.
The investigation into Wazed adds to the wider political and legal damage done by Bangladesh’s political turbulence.
Wazed has denied the allegations, according to reports. She has said travel reimbursement problems have been caused by administrative errors by staff and has disputed questions about her academic qualifications. The WHO has maintained that it is within its processes.
With Wazed stepping down, the WHO South-East Asia Region will now move toward selecting a new regional director. Nominations will come in October and voting in January.
Wazed’s departure marks a major change in the WHO’s South-East Asia office and ends a tenure that began with her historic appointment as the first Bangladeshi to lead the region.
