“I Was Targeted” — Saima Wazed Breaks Silence on WHO Controversy

Special Correspondent

Saima Wazed, daughter of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Southeast Asia region, broke her nearly year-long silence and said in an exclusive interview with The Pioneer that she was deliberately targeted.

Saima Wazed said that the WHO has already closed the investigation into allegations related to her visit to China, calling it “baseless”.

He said he was informed of the decision in August this year and the report was sent to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, but there has been no further contact with him since then.

He alleged that after the ouster of his mother Sheikh Hasina’s government in 2024, he was sent on leave on charges of fraud, educational certificates and land. In December 2025, his paid leave was converted to unpaid leave – which he described as “vindictive”.

According to him, this decision was made without any evidence or proper reasons and in violation of WHO’s own rules and procedures.

Saima Wazed also said that at the request of the interim government of Bangladesh, she was sent on paid leave from September 2025, which was supposed to last until January. Just ten days before the leave was taken without pay, she said that she had filed a formal complaint about the leak of confidential documents from the Director-General’s office – from which she indicated that there may be a connection between the two incidents.

He further questioned whether depriving someone of a position based on family political affiliations is a violation of that person’s professional human rights and freedom to choose a profession—especially where there is no obstacle to the nomination of individuals with political affiliations with the ruling government.

Rejection of Reuters report , direct response on LinkedIn

In addition to this interview, Saima Wazed recently responded strongly through a post on LinkedIn in response to a Reuters report regarding her resignation.

He wrote that he should have verified the information with WHO before making any statement.

He claims that he was cleared of the fraud charges because he never traveled to China, and that the charges of misrepresenting his educational credentials were dropped. He also urges readers to check his university’s alumni list to verify his educational credentials.

Saima Wazed clarified that she resigned voluntarily because she does not believe in a leadership that spreads lies and rumors.

He directly accused WHO Director-General Tedros of harassing, insulting, and intimidating people with false information, and said that he had been subjected to extreme oppression for almost a year without income.

He said he now wants to return to his previous work on behalf of mental health, autism and disability rights, which he has always done.

It is worth noting that in February 2024 , Saima Wazed took over as WHO South – East Asia Regional Director for a five -year term , making her the first and second woman from Bangladesh to hold the position . WHO has not yet publicly confirmed that all investigations against her have been concluded without charges .