State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir has described the appointment of recently resigned Saima Wazed Putul to a senior position at the World Health Organization (WHO) as “very unfortunate”, alleging that she lacked the qualifications, experience and expertise required for such a high-level post.

“It was not a surprise. Someone without any credible qualification, any credible expertise, just because she happens to be the daughter of (former PM) so-and-so, was given the appointment,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs questioning the appointment. 

The State Minister described the appointment of Putul, daughter of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as regional director for Southeast Asia as a “shame” for international organisations and stressed the need for greater seriousness and scrutiny in selecting people for senior positions.

“You need people who can lead the organisation. We need to be very serious about these appointments,” Kobir said.

The State Minister said Bangladesh would support a candidate with appropriate qualifications in future, mentioning a candidate from the Maldives who, he said, has a good track record and strong credentials.

“We hope that in the near future the organisation will be led by competent people,” he said.

He said international organisations should not appoint individuals simply because they are connected to a particular political family or regime.

“People should not be appointed simply on the grounds of being connected to a family or a regime,” he said, adding that such organisations have important institutional responsibilities and their leadership should have the necessary expertise and credentials.

Referring to the WHO, Kobir said the organisation is highly important and therefore requires people with appropriate professional expertise to lead it.

“If you put any kind of unqualified people in those positions, the outcome for the region and the world is not going to be good,” he said.

The State Minister also referred to a candidate from the Maldives, saying he hoped that a person with stronger credentials would be selected for the position in the future.

Kobir said that if irregularities or corruption were involved in appointments, such matters would eventually come to light.

He reiterated that the credibility, experience and expertise of candidates should be carefully examined before making appointments to senior positions in international organisations.

“Someone without credible qualifications, experience and expertise should not be appointed to such a high-level position,” he said.

He said allegations of corruption, manipulation and concealment of information surrounding such appointments would eventually come to light. “The smell of corruption can never be suppressed; it will eventually come out,” Kobir said.

Referring to the WHO, Kobir said the organisation plays a crucial role in global public health, particularly recalling its importance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Asked how many countries the government is working with to recover the huge amount of money allegedly siphoned out of Bangladesh, Kobir said the government is working with international partners to bring back laundered assets and funds.

“We are working with international partners to recover the assets and money that have been siphoned out,” he said.

He said Bangladesh has already established a partnership with the United Kingdom in this regard.

The government is also in discussions with countries that have legal and forensic expertise to help trace and recover the assets, he said.

“We are determined to bring back the people’s stolen money and assets through legal and diplomatic processes,” Kobir said.

He said the recovered assets should be used for the welfare of people rather than ending up in the pockets of individuals.