The World Health Organization has placed its regional director for the South East Asia Regional Office, Saima Wazed Putul, on leave for an indefinite period from Friday.
The WHO decision came at a time when Saima Wazed, the daughter of Bangladesh鈥檚 ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, has been facing several allegations of corruption in her homeland.
The interim government of Bangladesh, in late October 2024, nearly three months after the August 5, 2024 ouster of the Hasina-led regime amid a mass uprising, requested direct communication with the WHO, citing Saima Wazed, the regional director for South-East Asia, as 鈥榥onfunctional鈥�.
Saima Wazed was appointed to the post by the WHO in January 2024, amid allegations of fraud, forgery and misuse of power.
She took office on February 1, 2024, for a five-year term, but after 17 months she was placed on indefinite leave.
According to a Health Policy Watch report published on Saturday, WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus notified staff in a brief internal email that Saima Wazed would be on leave and that WHO assistant director general Catharina Boehme would 鈥榮erve as the Officer-in-Charge鈥� in her place.
Boehme would reach the SEARO office in New Delhi on Tuesday, Tedros added.
After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed two cases against Saima and the investigation into the allegations began in January.
According to the charges, Saima Wazed allegedly provided false information about her academic records during her campaign for the post of regional director.
The ACC also alleged that she misrepresented her qualifications by claiming an honorary role at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, which the university disputes, to secure her WHO position.
Saima Wazed is also accused of misusing her power and influence to collect about $2.8 million from various banks for the Shuchona Foundation, which she used to head.
The ACC case did not provide complete details on how the money was then used.
The commission also accused her of fraud and misuse of power.
Since the charges were laid, Saima Wazed has been unable to travel properly in the SEARO region as she faces warrants of arrest in Bangladesh, the Health Policy Watch said in its report.