Staff Reporter :
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has operated a drive against ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s daughter Saima Wazed Putul’s Shuchona Foundation, a non-profit and voluntary organisation, registered office address in the capital’s Dhanmondi but did not find any office at the location.
A four-member of ACC’s enforcement team conducted the drive on Wednesday, said ACC Deputy Director (Public Relation) Akhtarul Islam.
The anti-corruption watchdog also raided the National Board of Revenue (NBR) office to collect documents related to tax exemptions and financial irregularities of Shuchona Foundation, said Akhtarul Islam.
While briefing reporters, the official informed that ACC Assistant Director Naushad Ali led the enforcement team.
According to ACC sources, the agency is investigating allegations that Shuchona Foundation coerced donations from various social and business entities, embezzled significant amounts of public money through fraudulent projects, potentially exploiting the “autistic cell” under the health ministry, and illegally influenced the NBR to grant tax exemptions and pressured individuals into making donations.
Shuchona Foundation is registered at the address of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s residence, Sudha Sadan, on Dhanmondi Road 5. SudhaSadan has been locked since 5 August.
The building that housed the foundation’s office was vandalised and torched after Sheikh Hasina fled the country in face of a mass uprising on 5 August.
ACC Assistant Director Naushad Ali said, “We visited Sudha Sadan in Dhanmondi, but we couldn’t find any existence of Shuchona Foundation operating from that address, as per the information provided in the tax file. I cannot confirm whether the foundation existed there previously. The commission will determine the next course of action.”
Earlier on 21 November last year, the bank accounts of Shuchona Foundation were frozen for suspicious transactions.
Saima Wazed Putul, Dr Muzharul Mannan, and Zain Bari Rizvi serve as trustees of the Shuchona Foundation, an organisation dedicated to supporting individuals with mental disabilities, neurological disorders, autism, and mental health challenges.
Shuchona Foundation was established in 2014.
According to a 2023 Benar News report, Saima Wazed’s mother, ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, secured approximately $1 million for Shuchona Foundation through charitable donations from local financial institutions, including private banks.
Saima Wazed’s appointment as WHO Southeast Asia regional director faced criticism over alleged nepotism. Critics argued she lacked the qualifications compared to other candidates, and her appointment was politically influenced.
According to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), SaimaWazed was a Canadian citizen at the time when she was nominated by Bangladesh as the WHO regional director for South-East Asia.
The ACC launched an inquiry based on allegations that state resources had been misused and irregular activities had taken place to support the appointment of Saima Wazed, also known as Putul.
A report by The Lancet raises question about whether Saima Wazed may have breached WHO’s ethical standards.
Under Rule 49 of the Rules of Procedure of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia, regional director candidates should have a strong technical and public health background, extensive experience in global health, and historical evidence of public health leadership.
The Lancet report noted that Saima has an M.Sc in clinical psychology, but no other formal medical or public health academic qualifications. She received an honorary doctorate from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in Bangladesh in 2023. Her experience in global health is limited to work on autism and mental health, including advisory roles with WHO and Chatham House.
Her competitor for the position, Nepal’s Shambhu Prasad Acharya, has more than 30 years of experience at WHO and a doctorate in public health.
An article in the UK’s Financial Times (FT) newspaper also quotes experts’ criticism of the nomination.
The Financial Times cited a senior health policy expert in Bangladesh who criticized Saima Wazed’s nomination, stating it reflected the politicization of the country’s health sector.
“She came from a political family and her mother is prime minister […] Every single work that she does is highlighted [by the government],” the expert told Financial Times.
