The High Court on Sunday rejected a writ petition filed challenging the legality of the appointment of Khulna Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) Managing Director Md Abdullah. The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat rejected the writ petition. Advocate Emdadul Haque Bashir stood for the petitioner while Advocate Syed Mahsib Hossain represented the Wasa MD. Also Read: Writ petition seeks probe into graft allegation against Khulna Wasa MD Advocate Syed Mahsib, said the authorities concerned appointed Md Abdullah as the managing director of Khulna Wasa in 2009 but the writ petition was filed in 2023. The petition also sought investigation into the graft allegation against the Wasa MD. However, the Anti-Corruption Commission did not find any evidence of corruption against him. That’s why the HC rejected the petition, said Advocate Mahsib. According to the writ petition, Md Abdullah was appointed as Wasa MD in 2009 for a three-year term and his tenure has been extended for several times. Also Read: Decision to award performance bonus to Wasa staffers illegal: HC   Secretaries to the Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Ministry, Public Administration Ministry, deputy secretary of Local Government (Water supply), Chairman of PSC, Authorities concerned of Khulna WASA, chairman of Khulna WASA, Anti-Corruption Commission and Khulna WASA MD have been made respondent to the rule.    

The High Court on Monday said the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) may submit a progress report of its ongoing investigation against managing director of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) Taqsem A Khan. The ACC may submit the progress report within 15 days, said the HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat when ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan drew attention of the court to a newspaper report ‘Taqsem’s 14 houses in the US’ The report was published in Bangla daily ‘Samakal’ on Monday. Read: Narcotics case: SC upholds HC’s stay order or trial proceedings against Pori Moni However, the court did not pass any order based on the newspaper report. According to the Samakal report, the Wasa MD bought 14 houses in different states of the US. Several intelligence agencies including US intelligence watchdog Interpol, have started investigating the source of his money to buy the houses and information about the transaction process. According to the complaint submitted to the ACC recently, Taqsem laundered thousands crores Taka from Wasa’s big projects with foreign loans to the US through various means including hundi. He bought 14 luxury houses in posh areas of the country including Los Angeles, New York. Taqsem, also a US citizen, joined Dhaka Wasa as MD in 2009 while staying in the US. All members of his family stay there. Taqsem also stays with family in the US for about three months every year. On December 5 last year, HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat asked the ACC for an update on the ongoing investigation against Taqsem following a writ petition challenging the legality of his’s appointment as Wasa MD. Taqsem A Khan was appointed Wasa MD on a three-year contract in 2009. His contract was extended three times despitehis “poor performance”. Read: HC Chamber Judge asks Wasa MD to submit salary statement On October 11,  the Appellate Division Chamber Judge sought a report on how much money Taqsem received as salary, bonus and other facilities in the last 13 years. He was drawing extra salary and allowances going beyond the rules. According to the latest board decision, the monthly salary of Wasa MD is Tk 6.25 lakh. A case was filed against nine people including Taqsem alleging that Tk 132.4 crore of Dhaka Wasa Employees Multipurpose Cooperative Society was withdrawn and embezzled from six banks through various checks with the help and instructions of Wasa MD. The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) also sent a letter to all banks seeking information of  accounts of the Wasa MD on August 25 last year.  

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) alleging his recruitment process was rigged. Barrister Syed Sayedul Haque Suman, a former prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal 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. Read: HC orders govt to submit documents of house occupied by Salam Murshedi The court is likely to hear the petition this week. Barrister Suman said Taqsem A Khan has been serving as Wasa MD 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. In 2009 he was appointed after rewriting and rigging his recruitement 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. Read: HC upholds bdnews24.com editor’s bail order “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 Wasa MD on a three-year contract in 2009. His contract has been extended three times after that.

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has summoned the bank accounts of Taqsem A Khan, managing director (MD) of Dhaka WASA, and his family members, sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Amid growing public concern over alleged poor service of Dhaka WASA, the central bank’s financial intelligence agency sent a notification to all banks asking for the account details of Taqsem Khan and his family members, said the sources wishing anonymity. In 2009, Taqsem was appointed as the MD of Dhaka WASA. He was reappointed for a sixth term on October 1, 2020. Last week, the High Court asked the relevant authorites to submit a report on the salaries, allowances and other perks given to the WASA boss in the 13 years since his appointment. This order came in response to a writ petition, and the report has to be placed before the court within 60 days. Read: Court rejects Tk132 crore embezzlement complaint against Dhaka WASA MD, 8 others

The High Court (HC) on Wednesday issued a rule questioning why the inaction of the authorities concerned to remove Dhaka Wasa Managing Director Taqsem A Khan from his post should not be declared illegal. The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo passed order after a hearing a writ petition filed by the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB). The HC also ordered the Wasa Board to submit a report within 60 days informing how much money the MD took as salary, bonus and enjoyed other facilities in the last 13 years. The court wanted to know why the Wasa MD should not be ordered to return the extra money taken as salary and allowances. Read: Dhaka BRT girder collapse: HC issues rule on providing TK 5 cr compensation The court has issued a rule seeking explanation  as to why Wasa MD’s salary and allowances should not be fixed as per the circular issued by the National Pay Scale of 2015 and the Finance Ministry in 2016. Barrister Jotirmoy Barua appeared for the writ petition in the court while Deputy Attorney General Arobinda Kumar Roy represented the state. On July 31, architect Mobasher Hossain filed the writ petition on behalf of CAB challenging the inaction of the Wasa Board of Directors to remove Taqsem A Khan 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 going beyond the rules. According to the latest board decision, the monthly salary of Wasa MD is Tk 6.25 lakh.

The High Court on Sunday rejected a writ petition challenging the legality of the process for reappointing Taqsem A Khan to the post of managing director (MD) of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa).

A writ petition was filed with the High Court challenging  the legality of the process of reappointing Taqsem A Khan as managing director of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa).

The High Court on Monday asked the Managing of Director of Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) Taksim A Khan to implement its 2011 order to take steps to prevent the pollution of the Buriganga  River and submit a progress report to it within one month.

The High Court on Thursday issued a contempt of court rule against Dhaka Wasa Managing Director Taskim A Khan.