Wasa MD got Tk 5.8cr as salaries, benefits in 13yrs

Dhaka Wasa Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Taqsem A Khan has been paid Tk 5.8 crore as salaries and other benefits over the last 13 years.

Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority provided this information to the High Court today in compliance with its directive issued earlier.

In a report, Wasa said the MD has drawn Tk 4.51 crore of the total amount as Tk 1.29 crore was deducted as house rent and repairs, income tax, and other costs.

Wasa lawyers AM Masum and Syed Mahshib Hossain placed the report by swearing an affidavit to the HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo.

The HC bench kept the report in its record without passing any order. The court is yet to fix any date for hearing on the matter, lawyer Mahshib told The Daily Star.

Replying to a question, he said Wasa, a statutory organisation of the government, pays the salaries and other allowances to its MD and other officials and staff members from its own incomes.

Following a writ petition filed by Consumers' Association of Bangladesh (CAB), the HC on August 17 ordered the Dhaka Wasa chairman to submit a report before it detailing the total gross salaries, performance bonus, travel allowances and daily allowances (TA/DA), and all other benefits paid to Taqsem in cash since his appointment.

The HC also questioned the legality of Taqsem holding the posts of Dhaka Wasa MD and CEO and paying him Tk 6.25 lakh as his gross monthly salary.

The court issued a rule asking the government authorities concerned to explain why their inaction in removing Taqsem from the posts of Wasa MD and CEO and in cancelling the previous decisions on increasing his salary in violation of the Service Order (Salary and Benefits), 2015 and the finance ministry notification issued in this regard should not be declared illegal.

Secretary to the ministry of local government and rural development; board of Dhaka Wasa and its chairman; and Taqsem were made respondents to the rule.

Taqsem was made Dhaka Wasa MD in 2009. Despite severe criticism of his role in ensuring quality Wasa services, he was reappointed for a sixth term on October 1, 2020.