Writ petition challenges Taqsem Khan’s appointment as WASA MD

A writ petition was filed at the High Court on Monday challenging the legality of Taqsem A Khan’s appointment as Managing Director of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA), reports news agency UNB.

The petition also alleged that Taqsem A Khan’s recruitment process was rigged.

Barrister Syed Sayedul Haque Suman, a former prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) and popular social media figure submitted the writ petition upon the green light of the High Court bench of Justice Md. Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat.

Seven people including local government and rural development cooperatives secretary, public administration secretary were made respondents to the writ petition.

The court is likely to hear the petition this week.

Barrister Suman said Taqsem A Khan has been serving as WASA managing director for the last 13 years since 2009.

During his tenure he has raised the water price to Tk 15 per unit from Tk 6 per unit. Despite allegation and probe of embezzling thousands of crores of Tk against him, he has remained in his post securely, he said.

He (Taqsem) was appointed in 2009 after rewriting and rigging recruitment exam result as it was required to have 20 years of experience for that position and he had no such relevant experience, said Barrister Suman.

“His appointment letter mentions that the authority is requesting to maintain caution while examining and considering contractual appointments in future. Which means there was some sort of rigging that happened yet his tenure was extended later,” he explained.

The writ petition was filed as his recruitment process needs to be probed, he said.

Taqsem A Khan was appointed as managing director of Dhaka WASA on a three-year contract in 2009. His contract has been extended three times since then.