Bangladesh Bank Summons WASA MD’s Bank Records

Bangladesh's anti-money laundering watchdog has asked all local banks to submit detailed banking records of Taqsem A Khan, the controversial managing director of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA), and his family members.

In a letter issued by the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), a special wing of Bangladesh Bank, on Thursday, the chief executives of all commercial banks were instructed to submit the records within five working days, according to the central bank's Executive Director Serajul Islam.

Since he took office in 2009 on a three-year term, Taqsem has been at the centre of numerous controversies for his conduct in office, his enormous salary and benefits package, and his public comments.

Tasqem's appointment and reappointment as WASA's managing director for six consecutive terms, which Transparency International, Bangladesh described as a breach of the body's rules and regulations in a 2019 report, has also raised eyebrows.

He recently made headlines again when he sought the WASA board’s permission to allow him to carry out his duties remotely from the US. The board, however, unanimously turned down the request.

WASA record shows Tasqem is one of the highest-earning officials in Bangladesh's public service, bagging close to Tk 650,000 a month.

The High Court last week put a halt on the disbursement of performance bonuses for WASA employees for six months after reports of Tasqem’s salary and benefits packages came to light.

In 2019, Tasqem drew massive public backlash when he claimed the water supplied by WASA was 100 percent drinkable.