Since Sheikh Hasina's government fell, Dhaka WASA's Managing Director Taqsem A Khan has been absent from his office. Citing physical illness, he resigned via an email on Wednesday (August 14). Following his resignation,  Engineer AKM Shahid Uddin has taken over as the new MD of Dhaka WASA.

During Taqsem A Khan's tenure, there were many complaints about the quality and price of water at WASA. After his resignation, many hoped the organization would reduce the cost of water. However, the newly appointed MD of the organization, Engineer AKM Shahid Uddin, said that WASA is not considering lowering the price of water at the moment.

He told Bonik Barta on Thursday (August 15), "The price of everything is rising. How is it possible to reduce the price of water?"

When asked about the former MD's alleged corruption, he said, 'There has been no corruption at WASA. If you have any evidence, provide it, and I will take action.'

Amidst rising inflation, Taqsem A Khan increased the price of WASA water year after year. There are allegations that he tried to portray WASA as a profitable organization.

Despite the repeated price hikes, the water supplied through WASA's pipelines is reported to be dirty by the entire population of Dhaka. At one point, he had claimed that the water was safe to drink only after boiling. During this period, Mizanur Rahman from Jurain invited Taqsem A Khan to his house to taste a drink from WASA's water. However, the former MD did not accept the invitation, which sparked widespread discussion and criticism.

When asked about this, Mizanur Rahman told Bonik Barta, "WASA's water is not drinkable in any way. But Taqsem A Khan did not take any complaints from customers regarding this matter."

Moreover, WASA's water supply is not always uninterrupted. During the summer season, residents of some areas in the capital have been seen protesting for water.

In 2019, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) published a report titled "Dhaka WASA: Governance Challenges and Way Forward." The report stated that Dhaka WASA has failed to provide potable water through its pipelines. It was mentioned that 91 percent of customers boil water before drinking it. The cost of gas for boiling water to make it drinkable amounts to BDT 3.22 billion annually.

Since the Awami League government took office in 2009, Dhaka WASA has increased the price of water 16 times over 16 years. Previously, even during the coronavirus pandemic, Dhaka WASA raised water prices twice within two years for the residential and commercial sectors.

In 2022, when WASA attempted to increase the price of water, a writ petition was filed in the High Court challenging its legality. The High Court issued a rule questioning why the increase in water prices by WASA should not be declared illegal due to the lack of regulation. After that, there has been little discussion about increasing the price of water for almost two years.

On July 1, 2024, WASA last increased the price of water by 10 percent. At that time, the price for residential customers was set at BDT 16.70 per 1000 liters, up from BDT 15.18. For commercial customers, the price for the same amount of water was set at BDT 46.20, up from BDT 42.

There have been allegations that the price increase was not made in accordance with proper procedures. According to the law, Dhaka WASA's management can increase water prices by 5 percent per year. Any increase beyond this requires approval from the WASA board, and to raise prices by more than 5 percent, approval from the Ministry of Local Government is needed.

WASA authorities had given a letter to the Ministry of Local Government before the latest water price hike. It is said that the company's operating expenses and installments of foreign debt (DSL) have increased. Operation and maintenance of WASA and payment of DSL have become difficult at current water prices. A remarkable increase in water price is required to pay off the debt and cover the cost.

WASA board member Dip Azad informed the media that there had been no discussion in the Dhaka WASA board about the recent 10 percent price hike. In response to a recent query, he said, "There has been no discussion about increasing the water price at the board meeting. I am not aware of how a 10 percent increase was implemented without discussion with the board."

During Taqsem A Khan's tenure, Dhaka WASA undertook several large projects funded by foreign loans. As a result, WASA has had to spend a significant amount on debt service payments. Currently, the total debt for various projects is around BDT 250 billion. However, due to slow project implementation and issues in starting up completed projects, the organization's expenses have increased.

Mohammad Ejaz, Chairman of the River and Delta Research Center (RDRC), comments that WASA could reduce water prices if it wanted to. He told Bonik Barta, "The corruption that occurred at WASA during Taqsem A Khan's time needs to be publicly revealed first. Only then will we understand WASA's actual expenses. WASA needs to become a transparent and accountable organization. Only then can water prices be reduced."

Taqsem A Khan was first appointed as the Managing Director of Dhaka WASA in 2009. His term was extended six times after that. Most recently, in August of last year, he was appointed for a seventh term, extending his tenure for another three years.

There are complaints regarding Taqsem A Khan's appointment as MD of WASA. A source related to the organization has revealed that the job advertisement required at least 20 years of experience in water-related work. However, Taqsem A Khan was appointed without any such knowledge. He also did not score well on the written test but received a perfect score of 20 out of 20 in the viva board interview, leading to his appointment as MD of WASA. As Dhaka WASA's MD, he earned a monthly salary of BDT 625,000, along with additional benefits. Over the first 14 years, he received BDT 58 million in salary and allowances. He has also faced various discussions and criticisms on other matters.