Technology and Science10 September, 20263 min read
Saima Wazed Resigns as WHO South-East Asia Regional Director Amid Fraud Allegations
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Saima Wazed resigns as WHO Southeast Asia regional director amid fraud probes by authorities. Regional committee recommended termination of her appointment before her resignation.
11 outlets told this the same way.
Wazed quits WHO role
Saima Wazed, the daughter of ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, resigned as Regional Director, World Health Organisation (WHO), South East Asia, with the WHO telling The Indian Express that a recommendation for the termination of her employment had been made a day earlier. The Indian Express reported that Wazed said she took the step “due to harassment and intimidation, leaving me on leave without pay as retaliation for requesting an investigation into his (D-G’s) conduct.” The WHO said that on 9 September 2026, Wazed submitted her resignation from the position of Regional Director for the WHO South-East Asia Region, and that on 8 September 2026 the Regional Committee had recommended that her appointment be terminated.
The WHO added that Nilesh Buddha will continue to serve as Officer-in-Charge of the Regional Office pending the appointment of a new Regional Director, and that the matter was handled through WHO processes in accordance with WHO’s regulatory framework. Arise News reported that Wazed announced her resignation on Wednesday in a letter to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus after being on unpaid administrative leave for nearly a year.
Fraud claims and denials
Arise News said the WHO accused Wazed of “committing financial fraud in relation to her travel to China” and misrepresenting her academic credentials, citing a July 3, 2026 letter from her lawyers to the agency seen by Reuters. Wazed denied the allegations and, in her resignation letter, said she had acquired a plot of land in Bangladesh before joining the WHO and was entitled to it under Bangladeshi legislation covering the families of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In the resignation letter, Wazed told WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “I was elected to the position of Regional Director in order to serve the countries in my region, which I had sincerely done,” and she wrote that she had lost “all trust and confidence” in his leadership.
Health Policy Watch reported that Wazed lashed back after submitting her resignation letter, denying all allegations and saying she had quit “because of “harassment and intimidation” by the WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.” The Indian Express also reported that Wazed had sought an independent probe, alleging a political witch-hunt at the behest of the interim government of Bangladesh led by Chief Advisor Mohammad Yunus.
What happens next
Multiple outlets tied the resignation to WHO governance steps, with The Indian Express stating that the Regional Committee recommendation was due to be considered by the Executive Board and that the resignation was brought to the attention of the members of the Regional Committee for South-East Asia and of the Executive Board respectively. Reuters reporting as carried by India Today said two sources told Reuters that the WHO was preparing to formally remove Wazed, with one source saying the agency was expected to announce nominations for the position on October 12, vet applications in December and hold elections on January 24. The Indian Express reported that Wazed entered office on February 1, 2024 for a five-year term, and that she was sent on leave in July 2025 over allegations of misconduct.
Health Policy Watch said the discussion of Wazed was held behind closed doors at the 79th Regional Committee meeting of SEARO member states, which ended today, and it described the termination move as coming after months of pressure from Dhaka on Tedros to remove the RD that the new Bangladeshi government has prosecuted for fraud. In the same governance context, The Indian Express said the WHO statement on Wazed’s resignation emphasized that the matter was handled through appropriate WHO processes with due regard for fairness and due process while safeguarding the interests of the Organization and its ability to fulfil its mandate.