WASA MD won’t be able to work virtually from the US

The managing director of Dhaka WASA, Taqsem A Khan, wanted to carry out his office duties online from the US, instead of handing over charge to anyone else. However, this has been strongly opposed and turned down by the members of the WASA board. The board members were in consensus about rejecting Taqsem A Khan’s application for attending ‘virtual office’ in America. This decision was taken at the WASA board meeting on Thursday afternoon. This was revealed by two members of the board who were present at the meeting.

According to the WASA Act, all policy issues are taken at the 13-member board meeting. Twelve members were present at the meeting on Wednesday. There were nine topics for discussion on the agenda for Thursday’s meeting. Towards the end of the meeting, the issue of Tasqem A Khan’s virtual office was discussed.

WASA board members and secretary general of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Deep Azad, told Prothom Alo that Tasqem A Khan had applied for permission to work virtually from America for two months. He was not given the permission. He will be on full leave for two months and will not be able to carry out any official duty virtually. He would have to hand over duties to someone else as acting managing director in his absence. As to whether he will receive his salary and allowance in this span of time, Deep Azad said, if he has leave due, he will get full salary and benefits.

WASA sources said that though Taqsem A Khan is on contractual appointment, he will receive all leave as per government service rules. According to the rules, he will get 20 days casual leave a year and one day per every 12 days as earned leave.

Several WASA officials said they had no idea if Tasqem A Khan had taken leave after his latest stint of taking over as MD in 2020. Last year for three months from 25 April till 24 July, he was in the US. He had taken permission to work virtually. He went to Spain and the Netherlands to attend two events on 16 and 21 May this year and then too he didn’t take leave but carried out his duties virtually.

Tasqem A Khan was made WASA MD in 2009. His family lives in the US. He goes to the US almost every year at a specific time to spend time with them.

According to sources in WASA, every time he goes abroad, Tasqem A Khan first issues an order to the effect that he will be attending office online and would ask someone to do the routine work on behalf of the MD. But he never made anyone acting MD. It will be a first in 12 years if anyone is made acting MD when he travels abroad this time.

Calls were made to Tasqem A Khan to clarify the matter, but he did not reply.