SC too seeks information on salary, benefit of WASA MD

The Appellate Division chamber judge on Tuesday upheld the High Court order seeking a report on how much money Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority’s (WASA) managing director Taqsem A Khan received as salary, bonus and other facilities in the last 13 years, reports UNB.

Chamber judge Borhan Uddin passed the order after hearing two separate pleas filed by WASA board and WASA MD seeking a stay order on the HC order.

The court also upheld the three-month prohibition order on giving incentives as 'performance bonus' to officials and employees of Dhaka WASA.

Advocate AM Masum appeared for the WASA MD in the court while barrister Jotirmoy Barua stood for the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) in the hearing.

On 17 August, the HC ordered the WASA board to submit a report within 60 days, informing how much money the MD took as salary, bonus and other facilities in the last 13 years.

HC also issued a rule questioning why the inaction of the authorities concerned to remove WASA MD Taqsem from his post should not be declared illegal.

On 31 July, architect Mobasher Hossain filed the writ petition on behalf of CAB challenging the inaction of the WASA board of directors to remove Taqsem from the post of MD.

According to the writ petition, Taqsem A Khan was appointed as WASA MD on a three-year contract in 2009. His contract was extended three times even after his “poor performance”.

The writ also mentioned that WASA MD was drawing extra salary and allowances breaching the rules. According to the latest board decision, the monthly salary of WASA MD is Tk 625,000.