Bangladesh to support Maldives in WHO regional chief election: State Minister

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir has said Bangladesh will support the Maldives' candidate in the future election for the regional chief of the World Health Organization's (WHO) South-East Asia region.

He said this in response to a question from journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday, September 13.

Former Prime Minister's daughter Saima Wazed was serving as the Regional Director for WHO's South-East Asia region. She resigned from the post last week. The election for the post is scheduled to be held next January.

Regarding Saima Wazed's appointment, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs said she did not have the proper experience and acceptable qualifications for appointment to that post. Her appointment process was also flawed.

State Minister Humayun Kabir said, "Her appointment itself was unfortunate for an organisation like this. She did not have any credible qualification. She did not have any such experience."

He further said, "She went there and somehow got it done by applying pressure and securing votes. These things are bound to come out."

Describing such an appointment in an international organisation like WHO as shameful, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs said no one should be appointed merely because of a relationship with a family. The recruitment processes of international organisations need to be made stricter.