Saima Wazed Resigns from WHO Regional Post Amid Financial Misconduct Probe

New Delhi, September 10, 2026 — Saima Wazed, daughter of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has resigned as WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, effective immediately as of September 9. She had been elected in early 2024 for a five-year term but was placed on unpaid administrative leave in 2025.
The resignation comes amid ongoing WHO and Bangladeshi investigations into allegations of financial irregularities, forgery, and misrepresentation of academic credentials. Wazed has denied all allegations, saying a roughly $901 discrepancy tied to a China trip was an administrative error by a staff assistant, and that her honorary doctorate — recognizing her work in autism advocacy — was properly disclosed to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. In her resignation letter, she cited nearly a year without pay and a loss of confidence in WHO leadership as reasons for stepping down.
The process to select a new regional director is expected to begin October 12, with candidate screening in December and an election set for January 24, 2027. Wazed, who took office in February 2024, was the first Bangladeshi and only the second woman to hold the position, winning election with support from 8 of 10 member states, including India.