According to media reports, The action was taken four months after Bangladesh s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed two cases against Saima Wazed, daughter of ousted PM Sheikh Hasina, for corruption, forgery and misuse of power.
As per Health Policy Watch report, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told staff through internal email that Wazed was put on leave beginning June 11. Taking her place in her absence will be WHO Assistant Director-General Dr. Catharina Boehme, who will direct the South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO).
Read More: Trump cuts deep, terminates 1,300 State Dept. staff
This move is made in response to serious allegations leveled by Bangladesh s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), who contend that Wazed leveraged her mother s political influence to gain the position at the WHO. The ACC also suggests she forged educational qualifications in the nomination process, and in doing so may have broken Sections 468 and 471 of the Bangladesh Penal Code, which relate to forgery and the use of false documents.
Additionally, Wazed is accused of falsely claiming an honorary position at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, a claim the institution has publicly denied.
Aside from document forgery, Wazed is also charged with embezzlement, allegedly misappropriating approximately $2.8 million from different banks under the Shuchona Foundation, a NGO that she once headed. These charges are covered by Section 420 (cheating) of the Penal Code and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, which cover abuse of power.
Bangladesh s caretaker government, led by Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, has come out in support of WHO s action. Government spokesperson Shafiqul Alam said, "We welcome WHO s decision to put Saima Wazed on indefinite leave while investigations are continuing into serious allegations. This is an important first step towards accountability."
He asserted that a stronger solution is needed, demanding Wazed s permanent expulsion, the withdrawal of her privileges, and the restoration of the credibility of the UN system.
