5 workers of wasa burnt in explosion from Gas line Leakage in Capital's Namapara on Tuesday, October 10. They are admitted to Sheikh Hasina Burnt unit.  More to follow...  

The tenure of Engineer Taqsem A Khan has been extended for three more years as the Managing Director (MD) of Dhaka WASA. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has approved the file regarding appointment of Taqsem A Khan following recommendation of the WASA board. Additional Secretary of local government division Mohammad Ibrahim confirmed the information to Rtv news on Thursday. Mohammad Ibrahim said, Prime Minister has approved the file to reappoint him for three more years. We have informed the WASA authority. WASA is a commercial corporate body. So an agreement will be signed between Taqsem A Khan and WASA board. Earlier, on September 19 recommendation was made to reappoint him as the MD of WASA for three more years. The recommendation was sent to local government division. From there the file was sent to the Prime Minister. Mentionable, Dhaka WASA runs by the WASA Act which was passed in 1996. According to the act MD is the CEO of the institution. The government appoints for the post of MD through local government ministry following proposal or recommendation of the WASA board. But there is nothing mentioned in the act about how many times or for how many years a person can hold the post of MD. As a result Taqsem A khan has been holding the post of MD since he was appointed first time in 2009. AH  

The High Court on Sunday ordered Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) to remove its sewerage lines connected to the Buriganga River within the next six months. Responding to a time extension petition by WASA, the bench of Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore and Justice Mohammad Ullah also asked the government agency to submit a progress report within a month, said writ petitioner Manzill Murshid. Responding to the appeal, the court said it will reveal its decision later depending on sewerage line removal activities. Meanwhile, the Managing Director of WASA offered an unconditional apology to the court for falsely claiming in an affidavit on June 18 that no sewerage line was connected to Buriganga. The Department of Environment (DoE) was ordered to seal off industrial farms discharging wastes into the river and those running without its clearance. Advocate Ummey Salma represented WASA while Advocate Amatul Karim stood for DoE. On December 2, the HC directed WASA to take necessary steps to close its 68 sewerage lines connected to Buriganga to prevent pollution. It also asked Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) to take steps to stop other sewerage lines, if any, on both banks of the river and submit a compliance report within January 7 next. On November 17, the HC directed DoE to shut 27 establishments adjacent to the Buriganga within 15 days for not having environmental clearance. Besides, the court issued a show-cause notice asking why action should not be taken against the Dhaka WASA Managing Director for submitting false information in the form of an affidavit. It was learnt that Dhaka WASA, in its affidavit, said its 930-km sewerage line disposes wastes at Pagla sewerage treatment plant and no line is connected to the Buriganga. However, a BIWTA report said WASA dumps industrial and hospital wastes, and contaminated water into the Buriganga through 68 sewerage lines at different places of Dhaka, Keraniganj and Narayanganj. After comparing the two reports, the HC said Dhaka WASA submitted false information which is tantamount to a crime. In 2011, the High Court issued directives to prevent the pollution of Buriganga after hearing a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh. As the HC order went unheeded, the organization filed an appeal again in this regard. Source: UNB AH

Dhaka WASA authority has submitted report before the court acknowledging about supplying polluted water in the capital. Thus in the recent time Dhaka WASA has acknowledged that their supplied water at 69 areas in the capital is polluted. The report was submitted before the High Court bench led by Justice JBM Hasan on Thursday. While submitting the report the court commented, producing water not only the duty of WASA Managing Director but it is also his duty to supply safe water to the door steps of people. The WASA report said, water of Dhaka’s 69 areas is more polluted. The report was submitted after testing the tap water supplied by WASA at the household. The court wanted to know the opinion of Dhaka University microbiology department chief about WASA’s polluted water. The court asked him to present before it on May 21. Earlier, local government ministry sent a report to the High Court about how much money will need to test the water of Dhaka WASA. The report signed by Additional Secretary of the ministry Md. Zahirul Islam reached at the Attorney General’s office on Wednesday. In the report the cost is fixed for one thousand 64 sample tests in two phases at 75 lakh 61 thousand 500 taka. Of that 50 lakh 76 thousand 500 taka will cost for own lab test and 24 lakh 85 thousand taka will cost for sample test at the BUET laboratory. AH