New Delhi: Saima Wazed daughter of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Haisna and the Regional Director for WHO South East Asia has been sent on indefinite leave by the World Health Organisation (WHO). According to the reports the move comes amid Bangladesh’s interim governments claim that she was involved in corruption during Hasinas regime. Health Policy Watch reported that WHO Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus has circulated an email informing the staff that Wazed would be on leave from July 11.

His email further said that Dr Catharina Boehme WHOs assistant director-general would replace Wazed in the UN health agency’s South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO).
Saima Wazed: All You Need To Know

Saima Wazed is the daughter of Bangladeshs former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
She was born 9 December 1972
She served as the South East Asian regional director for the World Health Organization from November 1 2023 to July 11 2025.
Saima Wazed graduated from Barry University. She is a licensed school psychologist.
Wazed organized the first South Asian conference on Autism in 2011 in Dhaka Bangladesh.
She is the chairperson of National Advisory Committee on Autism and Neurodevelopmental disorders.
She campaigned for Comprehensive and Coordinated Efforts for the Management of Autism Spectrum Disorders resolution at the World Health Assembly which adopted the resolution Autism Speaks praised her for spearheading a truly global push for support for this resolution.
She had been drafted as a global autism advocate of World Health Organizations (WHO) 25-member Expert Advisory Panel on mental health for 4 years in 2014.
In November 2016 Wazed had been elected as chairperson of International Jury Board meeting of UNESCO for Digital Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
In April 2017 Wazed was designated as WHO Champion for Autism” in South-East Asia.
In July 2017 she became the WHO’s goodwill ambassador for autism in the South-East Asia Region.
Since 2022 Wazed has been a member of the Commission for Universal Health convened by Chatham House and co-chaired by Helen Clark and Jakaya Kikwete.

Charges Against Wazed
Bangladesh Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) lodged cases against Wazed in connection with her academic qualification while seeking the high-profile job earlier this year. According to ACCs charges Wazed used her mothers influence to achieve the position of the regional chief of the WHO.

As per the report she falsely stated she held an honorary position at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University a claim the university has refuted. Wazed is also accused of being involved in extensive corruption during her mothers tenure as Bangladeshs leader. According to the ACC she used her influence and connections to unlawfully obtain approximately $2.8 million from multiple banks channeling the money through the Shuchona Foundation an organization she formerly led.