Dhaka WASA explained

Agency Name:Dhaka WASA
Native Name A:ঢাকা পানি সরবরাহ ও পয়ঃনিষ্কাশন কর্তৃপক্ষ
Seal:Seal of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority.svg
Jurisdiction:Government of Bangladesh
Headquarters:Wasa Bhavan, 98 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Kawran Bazar, Dhaka
Parent Department:Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives
Parent Agency:Water Supply and Sewerage Authority
Chief1 Name:Engr. AKM Shahid Uddin
Chief1 Position:Managing Director

Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority is a Bangladesh government agency under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives responsible for water and sewage disposal in Dhaka and Narayanganj.[1] Taqsem A. Khan is the managing director of Dhaka WASA since 2009.[2]

History

Dhaka WASA was established in 1963 as an independent agency with the responsibility to supply water and sewage disposal to Dhaka. It also became responsible of water and sewage Narayanganj in 1990. In 1996, it became an autonomous for-profit body with the passage of WASA Act.[3] On 16 March 2019, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Estimate recommended that the government of Bangladesh split Dhaka WASA into two different bodies along North and South Dhaka.[4]

Criticism

In a 2019, Transparency International Bangladesh reported that Dhaka WASA had what The Daily Star characterized as "rampant graft" and provided "poor service".[5] In four out of ten zones of WASA, it was supplying water contaminated with harmful bacteria.[6] According to a WASA report submitted to Bangladesh High Court, Dhaka WASA was supplying polluted water to 57 areas of Dhaka.[7] Moreover, appointment of Wasa Managing Director Taqsem A Khan has been appointed as the MD for sixth consecutive terms of varying lengths, which create huge controversy despite widespread allegations of failure to provide safe water and improve waterlogging.[8]

In October 2022, Dhaka WASA denied the allegations of corruption, asking for evidence.[9] The Managing Director, Taqsem A. Khan, had been sued on charges of embezzling money from the employees fund. Anti Corruption Commission launched an investigation against Taqsem A. Khan.[10]

Board of directors

!Name!Designation!Represents!Reference
Sujit Kumar BalaChairmanConsumers[11]
Md. Khairul IslamDirectorMinistry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives
Rehana PervenDirectorMinistry of Finance
Imran AhmedDirectorDhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Sabbir AhmedDirectorThe Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh
DirectorInstitution of Engineers, Bangladesh
HAM Zahirul Islam Khan (Z. I. Khan Panna)DirectorBangladesh Bar Council
Md. Dip AzadDirectorBangladesh Federal Union of Journalists
Mostofa Jalal MohiuddinDirectorBangladesh Medical Association
A. K. M. A. HamidDirectorInstitution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh
Kha. Ma. Mamun Rashid ShuvroDirectorDhaka South City Corporation
Shikha ChakrobrothyDirectorDhaka North City Corporation
Taqsem A KhanCEO and Managing Director

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Unclean Water: N'ganj Wasa officials get an earful from locals . 2 August 2019 . The Daily Star . 3 May 2019 . en.
  2. Web site: DHAKA WASA . dwasa.org.bd . 2 August 2019 . 2 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190802152943/https://dwasa.org.bd/engr-taqsem-a-khan/ . dead .
  3. Web site: About Dhaka Wasa . dwasa.org.bd . 2 August 2019 . 2 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190802152946/https://dwasa.org.bd/ . dead .
  4. News: JS body recommends to split Dhaka Wasa into two . 2 August 2019 . The Daily Star . 16 May 2019 . en.
  5. News: TIB survey on Dhaka Wasa: Rampant graft, poor service . The Daily Star . 2 August 2019 . en . 18 April 2019.
  6. News: Harmful bacteria in Wasa water . 2 August 2019 . The Daily Star . 8 July 2019 . en.
  7. News: Dhaka Wasa says water supplied to 57 areas polluted . 2 August 2019 . The Daily Star . 16 May 2019 . en.
  8. Web site: Wasa MD for 11 years and counting . 2022-10-13 . Business Tribune.
  9. News: 2022-10-29 . Dhaka Wasa denies allegations of corruption, asks for evidence . 2022-10-30 . Dhaka Tribune . en.
  10. News: Seven officials summoned in probe against Taqsem A Khan . 2022-10-30 . Prothom Alo . 18 October 2022 . en.
  11. Web site: ঢাকা ওয়াসা . 2022-10-30 . dwasa.org.bd . en.