Saima Wazed, the daughter of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has resigned as the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Director for South-East Asia amid ongoing fraud investigations by the WHO and Bangladeshi authorities.

Wazed submitted her resignation on Wednesday, ending a five-year term that was originally expected to run until 2029. She had been placed on unpaid administrative leave in 2025 after Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission filed cases against her involving allegations of fraud and forgery.

The allegations include alleged financial irregularities connected to a trip to China, questions over her academic credentials and an allegation concerning the acquisition of land in Bangladesh. Wazed has denied the allegations.

Regarding the China travel expenses, Wazed said the issue involved an administrative error by an assistant handling routine reimbursement claims and involved about $901. She also maintained that she had properly disclosed that one of her academic qualifications was an honorary doctorate.

In her resignation letter, Wazed said she had lost trust and confidence in the WHO leadership because she had been prevented from effectively carrying out her duties. She also cited financial difficulties after spending nearly a year without receiving remuneration while on unpaid leave.

The WHO has not publicly commented on the details of the case, citing confidentiality. The organisation is now expected to begin the process of selecting a new Regional Director for the South-East Asia region.

Wazed’s resignation comes amid continued political and legal fallout from the 2024 removal of her mother, Sheikh Hasina, as Bangladesh’s prime minister, with several members and allies of Hasina’s political circle facing investigations or criminal cases