Saima Wazed, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) regional director for Southeast Asia, resigns from her post after facing fraud and forgery allegations. Multiple outlets report that she steps down following an investigation involving the WHO and related authorities in Bangladesh.
According to reports, Wazed took office as regional director in 2024 for a five-year term and is placed on unpaid administrative leave in late 2025. Several sources say she denies the allegations. The outlets also refer to the resignation letter and note Wazed’s stated reasons, including claiming she has lost trust and confidence in WHO leadership.
While all accounts focus on the same resignation and allegations, they differ in emphasis. Some outlets highlight the legal nature of the claims (fraud and forgery charges), while others focus more on the administrative sequence—her unpaid leave followed by resignation. One outlet also frames the event within the broader political fallout from the ouster of Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her mother, though the core reporting remains centered on the WHO role and the allegations.
