HC questions legality of DWASA MD's job

The High Court (HC) questions the legality of holding the position of managing director and CEO of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) by Engineer Taqsem A Khan.
It also raised a question of paying him Tk 0.625 million in gross salaries.

On Wednesday, the court issued a rule upon the government bodies concerned to explain in four weeks why the inaction of the respondents in taking any step to remove Mr Khan should not be declared illegal.
It also questioned their inaction in cancelling the previous decisions on increasing his salary in violation of the Service Order (Salary and Benefits)-2015 and the notification issued in this regard by finance ministry.
The HC also wanted to know why the respondents should not be directed to take appropriate steps to remove the Dhaka WASA MD and recover the excess salary paid to him illegally in the last 13 years and they not be directed to fix his salary and other service benefits in line with the provisions and the notification issued in this regard by the ministry.
Local government secretary, and DWASA board chairman and MD have been asked to comply with the rule.
The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed in this regard.
The court also directed the DWASA chairman to submit a report to it regarding the total gross salary,
performance bonus, TA/DA and other benefits paid to Mr Khan in the past 13 years within 60 days.
The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), represented by its chairman architect Mubasshar Hussain, filed the writ on July 31.
Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua appeared in the court for the petitioner while deputy attorney general Arabindo Kumar Roy represented the state.
"As a statutory authority, Dhaka WASA cannot treat its officers and employees different from other public servants. But in the instant case, the Dhaka WASA MD was given benefits unlawfully," said barrister Jyotirmoy.
On 26 January 2016, the ministry published a notification regarding salary and other benefits for contractual employees in line with the National Pay Scale-2015.
"However, while fixing salary and other benefits for the Dhaka WASA MD, the authorities violated the notification of the ministry," cited the lawyer.
Mr Khan was made DWASA MD in 2009. Since then, he has been in the position.
Amid criticism of his role in ensuring qualities of WASA services, he was reappointed for sixth term on 01 October 2020.
Allegations of corruption arose every time against him.
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