WHO sends Saima Wazed on forced leave

Saima Wazed Putul, the regional director of the World Health Organization’s South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO), has been placed on indefinite leave from July 11, months after Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed cases accusing her of fraud, forgery, and abuse of power.

According to a report by Health Policy Watch, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus informed staff via a short internal email that Putul would be on leave effective immediately.

The charges against Putul, daughter of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who fled the country last August after protests, stem from her bid to be appointed regional director.

The action was taken four months after the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed two cases against Saima Wazed for fraud, forgery and misuse of power.

According to ACC Deputy Director Akhtarul Islam, Putul allegedly provided false information regarding her academic qualifications during the nomination process, violating Sections 468 and 471 of the Bangladesh Penal Code, which deal with forgery and the use of forged documents.

She is also accused of misrepresenting her professional affiliations, including falsely claiming an honorary role at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, an assertion the university has denied.