The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requesting the ministry to take steps to remove Saima Wazed Putul, daughter of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, from her position as Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region.
The letter, sent on Sunday, comes after the ACC decided on 15 January to investigate allegations of corruption concerning Saima Wazed’s appointment to the position.
Md. Akhtar Hossain, director general (Prevention) of the ACC, told the media that Sheikh Hasina is accused of unethically misusing her power to secure the appointment for her daughter, despite allegations that Saima Wazed did not meet the eligibility criteria.
Following a review of preliminary information, the ACC found sufficient grounds to initiate a formal investigation into the matter.
The ACC’s inquiry will focus on whether corruption or undue influence was involved in the process of Saima Wazed’s selection as the WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, a position responsible for overseeing health initiatives across the region.
