WHO’s head, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, informed staff via internal memo that Assistant Director‑General Catharina Boehme would serve as acting Officer‑in‑Charge, arriving at SEARO’s New Delhi office on 15 July. No timeline was provided for Wazed’s possible return.
According to charges detailed by the ACC, Wazed is said to have submitted false information about her academic record—violating Sections 468 and 471 of the Bangladesh Penal Code—and misrepresented her affiliation with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University to strengthen her campaign. She is also accused of leveraging her influence to raise approximately US $2.8 million from multiple banks for the Shuchona Foundation, the charity she once led, prompting concerns about misappropriation.
Wazed, daughter of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, assumed office in February 2024 after being elected by SEARO member states in late 2023. Her appointment triggered criticism from Bangladeshi students and civil groups who alleged nepotism and undue influence by the former premier. The ACC launched investigations in January 2025, and in April, a Dhaka court issued an arrest warrant through Interpol tied to a separate corruption case, this time over the allocation of a Gulshan residential plot.
Officials familiar with the matter indicate Wazed has since avoided official duties, unable to travel within the SEARO region, as Bangladeshi authorities intensified legal action. The interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, hailed the WHO's move on social media, describing it as a “first step toward accountability” and urging a permanent resolution that would “restore integrity to this prestigious role and the credibility of the UN system”.
Wazed’s situation reflects the broader anti‑corruption campaign pursued by Yunus’s interim government following the August 2024 student-led uprising that led to Sheikh Hasina’s ouster. The shake‑up has extended to other prominent figures in the Hasina administration, including son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and niece Tulip Siddiq, under multiple probes.
While WHO has acted swiftly, some public health stakeholders note that SEARO’s leadership vacuum could disrupt key initiatives in the region, including polio eradication, pandemic preparedness and non‑communicable disease control. Humanitarian groups have expressed concern that prolonged absence of Wazed—or any delay in appointing a permanent successor—could hamper collaboration with national governments at a sensitive time.
Wazed, a psychologist educated at Barry University and a former autism advocate, was widely recognised for raising awareness of non‑communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries before taking the WHO post. Her career has previously earned commendations, including a 2016 WHO South‑East Asia Region Award for Excellence in Public Health, and high-profile autism-related awards.
Her supporters maintain that charges against her are politically motivated, pointing to the fierce rivalry between the current interim leadership and the former Awami League government. They argue that legitimate health work is being undermined by attempts to settle political scores.
Meanwhile, the WHO leadership has remained silent on whether the investigation will prompt a broader review of regional governance or initiation of internal accountability mechanisms. As South‑East Asian nations confront mounting health crises—from rising diabetes and cardiovascular disease to climate-induced disasters—the absence of a confirmed regional director and clarity around Wazed’s case could have wider strategic implications.