Dhaka WASA's dues from ATN Bangla Tk6.71cr

Dhaka WASA has claimed that ATN Bangla has outstanding dues of Tk6,70,93,495 for office building rent and electricity bills, and despite repeated notices from Dhaka WASA, ATN Bangla has not cleared the amount.

Dhaka WASA Managing Director Md Fazlur Rahman said these during a meeting today (4 December) with Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain and Dhaka WASA officials.  

Md Fazlur Rahman said, "The second floor of the WASA building is rented out to ATN Bangla and Janata Bank. The monthly rent for the space of ATN Bangla is around Tk9,21,000. However, ATN Bangla has not paid the rent and electricity bills for several years, despite multiple notices."

A Dhaka WASA official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, "ATN Bangla has ignored repeated notices from Dhaka WASA. During the previous government, they would threaten to publish negative news about Dhaka WASA and leverage connections with top government officials to avoid paying their dues."

Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiya said, "Whenever WASA is mentioned, the word 'corruption' comes to mind. After office hours, we see news of irregularities and corruption in WASA or the city corporations on TV, which is deeply concerning. During my tenure, I aim to work towards eliminating the Ministry of LGRD's reputation for corruption. However, this requires everyone's cooperation and collective measures."

He said, "In the past, during the Awami League government, we received complaints about political interference by MPs, ministers, and senior policymakers that hindered institutions from functioning properly. However, such conditions no longer exist. If you have complaints against anyone, report to the ministry's monitoring cell with evidence, and we will take action."

The adviser further said, "Waterborne diseases persist largely because people don't have access to safe water. Dhaka WASA is responsible for ensuring a reliable supply of water to city residents. Let's not dwell on past shortcomings but work collectively to guarantee safe water for the city's inhabitants."

Expressing his discontent, he said, "Despite spending billions of public funds on various projects, we fail to receive proper services. Contractors engage in corruption, and officials are complicit. Without their involvement, contractors would have fewer opportunities for misconduct. Proper monitoring could have prevented this."

He said, "Dhaka WASA's water treatment plants deliver only half of the expected output. For example, the pipes supplied for the Padma Water Treatment Plant did not meet specifications. As a result, instead of the expected 450 million litres of water, only 180 million litres are being delivered daily. Replacing these pipes would now cost several billion taka."

"The reforms we envision for Bangladesh involve systemic improvements. Through institutional reform, we aim to take Bangladesh to the next level," he said.

Local Government Division Secretary Md Nazrul Islam said, "No Dhaka WASA officials drink water directly from WASA pipelines because our water lines often get connected to sewage lines. We must ensure the supply of safe drinking water. The government has allocated sufficient funds for Dhaka WASA.