Government reappoints Taqsem as managing director of Dhaka WASA amid controversies

The government has decided to extend the contract of Taqsem A Khan as managing director of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority amid controversies.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 1 Oct 2020, 03:59 PM
Updated : 1 Oct 2020, 09:40 PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has approved the proposal, according to Muhammad Ibrahim, an additional local government secretary.

“We’ve informed the WASA about the approval. The board can now sign the contract with him (Taqsem),” Ibrahim told bdnews24.com on Thursday night.

The Local Government Division has also approved a three-year extension of the job of AKM Fazlullah, the managing director of Chattogram WASA.

The Awami League government appointed both Taqsem and Fazlullah in 2009 after returning to power.

The duo have waded into controversies on several occasions as citizens continue to suffer for dirty and disrupted water supply, and waterlogging.

The allegations of irregularities against Fazlullah went to court while Taqsem faced a petition at the High Court to block his reappointment.

The Dhaka WASA board of directors has recently cleared the proposal to reappoint Taqsem for the sixth time, triggering an uproar.

A citizen of Dhaka South City Corporation challenged the decision in High Court.

Transparency International, Bangladesh or TIB in a statement on Monday had protested against the decision.

Citing media reports, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said rules were flouted every time Taqsem had been reappointed though the government had

warned against irregularities after his first-time appointment.     

The TIB alleged “abuse of power” and “collusion” in the reappointments of the WASA boss.