Taksim leaves Tk 25,000 cr liability to Dhaka Wasa

Sucked thousand crores in 15-yr

Farhad Chowdhury: Taksim A Khan was appointed as Managing Director (MD) of Dhaka Wasa for the first time in 2009. Since then, he served as the MD of Dhaka Wasa for 15 consecutive years. The government has extended his tenure a total of 7 times.
As MD of Dhaka Wasa, Taksim’s last monthly salary was Tk 6.25 lakh. His salary was increased by Tk 250,000 in one jump during the corona epidemic. Taksim remained in the same post for a long time due to his closeness to the government, despite various allegations of corruption and irregularities. After the fall of the government, he was removed from the post on August 15. This ended the Taksim era in Dhaka Wasa. It worth mentioning Sheikh Rehana was his close friend.
In a notification signed by Local Government Department Secretary Abu Hena Morshed Zaman, the remaining term of his contractual appointment was cancelled.
Taksim was last appointed to this position for the seventh time in August last year for a new three-year term. Since 2009, this MD has increased the water price of Dhaka Wasa 16 times. It is not known for sure whether he is currently in the country or has gone abroad. Taksim A Khan and his wife and children are US citizens.
Debt of Dhaka Wasa Tk 25,000
It is reported that Dhaka WASA has incurred a debt of about Tk 25 thousand crores while implementing foreign aid-dependent projects. Analyzing them, it has been found that MD Taksim A Khan took big projects on the pretext of reducing the use of underground water as the water level is falling. After that, he took the initiative to implement the projects by taking loans from various donor organizations.
In June 2019, the ‘Padma-Jashaldia Water Treatment Plant Project’ was inaugurated to meet the water demand. It was informed during the inauguration that 45 crore liters of pure water will be available from this water treatment plant every day, spending Tk 3,670 crore were spent. But Dhaka Wasa could not supply this amount of water till now. Dhaka Wasa has to borrow a lot of money even if the results are not as promised.
Dhaka WASA undertook the project of Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant in Aftabnagar with the aim of treating the sewage of Dhaka city through the pipe line and throwing it into the Balu River. The Dasherkandi sewage treatment plant project was inaugurated last year, the city residents are not getting the benefit of this Tk 3,482 crore project. Dhaka city’s sewage is talked about but in reality, the drainage waste is being taken. Here too, great irregularities are resorted to. Dhaka WASA has to borrow a lot of money for this project. In total, Dhaka Wasa is in debt of about Tk 25 thousand crores.
Thousands of crores of taka lost in 15 years
Taksim A Khan was not eligible to apply for the post of Dhaka WASA MD. However, in 2009, the then WASA board gave him the highest marks for unknown reasons. He sat on the post of MD. Since then, Taksim became reckless in Dhaka Wasa.
According to the information provided by the leaders of the Dhaka WASA officers-employees union, there has been a corruption of Tk 600 crore in the construction of the transmission line of the Padma (Jashaldia) water treatment plant project. Besides, Taksimcircle has embezzled Tk 600 crores from Dasherkandi sewage treatment plant’s low-quality equipment, Tk3,221 crores from water and sewer bills and Tk621 crores from Dhaka Wasa Employees BhumukhiSambay Samity Limited.
At least Tk 600 crores of corruption has been committed by using low-quality equipment in the construction of Dasherkandi sewage treatment plant project, built at a cost of around Tk 4000 crores. Hatirjheel waste water is being treated there to keep the refinery plant running. In this, Dhaka Wasa is losing Tk 512 crore annually, if the loan installments start in 2027, the annual loss will increase to Tk 825 crore.
Corruption has also occurred in the Padma-Jashaldia water treatment plant project. About Tk 500 crore was embezzled by using low quality water and equipment in the construction of the main transmission line. There has been corruption in this project. Tk 105 crores have been paid to the contracting firm even within the warranty period.
According to the calculations of the leaders of Oikyaparishad, from 2014-2015 fiscal year to 2022-2023 fiscal year, Dhaka WASA lost Tk 3,221 crores. In the financial year 2009-2010 the company’s system loss was 34.82 percent and currently it has increased to 54.82 percent.
Tk 621 crore were lost from the Dhaka Wasa Employees Multipurpose Cooperative Society in violation of the Cooperative Act. Besides, the goods of the association have been sold. His estimated value is also around hundred million taka. Between 2010 and 2020, the Directorate of Cooperatives has reported a loss of Tk 332.52 million. Due to corruption under the umbrella of engineer TaksimA Khan, no action was taken against any of them at that time. During his period, thousands of crores of taka were lost from Dhaka Wasa.
Farewell to Taksim
The officers and employees here had to lose their jobs if they spoke against the Wasar MD. Golam Mostafa, the former chairman of Wasa Board, filed a written complaint against the arbitrariness, irregularities, corruption and waste of Wasa MD in the Ministry of Local Government last year. The crux of his complaint was TaksimA Khan’s rampant irregularities and corruption. Taksim ran Wasa as he wished and dismissed those who spoke against him.
During the Awami League government, he created a corruption syndicate there. Crores of taka have been looted by providing substandard water in the name of service. Although Taksim resigned from WASA, his circle of beneficiaries of corruption still remains. There is intense dissatisfaction among the officers and employees of the institution. Out of the rules, various projects were assigned to junior officers following Taksim.
On condition of anonymity, an executive engineer of Dhaka Wasa said, those who have heard about the MD and cooperated in his corruption have always received benefits in Dhaka Wasa, and have been rewarded as juniors. Corrupt officials are still corrupting from their positions. They also need to be removed to form a transparentWasa. Honest officers are still afraid to speak against them. Along with the MD, those officers should also be removed from WASA.
Some officials and employees have been protesting for several days under the banner of the Dhaka Wasa Officers-Employees Oikya Parishad. They are demanding the arrest of MD.
The president of the organization, Mozammel Haque, said that the pressure on those officials has come down only after protesting the wrongdoing of Taksim. Dismissed without any reason. Some were not allowed to work even after bringing a court order. There was unlimited corruption during his tenure. For that reason, MD should be arrested and brought under the law. Also, those who cooperated with WASA MD should be removed.
Shahabuddin Sarkar, general secretary of Dhaka Wasa Employees Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited, said that former MD Taksim has left Dhaka Wasa, but his syndicate members are still there. They are looting the money of common people. It is necessary to take action against them quickly, otherwise corruption will continue in Dhaka Wasa.
Action will be taken against corruption ring: LGRD Adviser
Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperative Adviser AF Hasan Arif said that a notification has been issued canceling the contract period of Dhaka Wasa MD Taskim Khan. For 15 years, he has had one contract extension after another. These facts, pictures of his corruption, and even his face became known to people. The cycle of corruption that has developed around him is still spreading. Some involved in the cycle are still active or in hiding. Legal action will be taken against them.
Hasan Arif told reporters at the secretariat recently, where there is a large budget allocation and there are activities, opportunities for corruption are created. Corruption opens the way. It is very important for us to close those places. We will take action against those directly involved in corruption. The corruption that was done through loopholes is done. But if it happens in the future, please bring it to my attention.
He also said, at least if we can fix the principle and if it continues, I believe that corruption will decrease in the future. If we can fix justice, this place of corruption will be limited. We have a lot of work ahead of us. A lot of garbage has been accumulated for a long time. It will not be fixed in a day or two. If everyone cooperates, it will be solved step by step.