‘How will WASA differentiate between the poor and the rich?’

Dhaka WASA plans to raise water prices based on zones, trying to delineate slum dwellers and low-income people from other Dhaka residents in terms of the price they have to pay for water. 

The Business Standard interviewed Mizanur Rahman, an activist famous for his unique protests demanding safe drinking water from Dhaka Wasa and the convener of Nagarik Adhikar Bastabayan Pariṣad Jurain, to talk about different aspects of the latest Dwasa move, and evaluate the priorities of the state-run organisation. 

Dhaka Wasa decided to hike the price of water by 5% recently. Now the state-run organisation is planning to hike water prices again. How do you see Wasa's tendency to raise prices?

First of all, what Dhaka Wasa is giving us is not water! This is an important issue. I have serious doubts if the Dhaka Wasa employees understand the importance of water. In my locality, for more than two decades, we have been drinking contaminated water. 

Photo: Noor-A-Alam

We pleaded, filed claims, protested and staged human chains. We did everything we could to ensure pure water. But nothing worked. Today my mother mistakenly took a sip of Wasa water – it was so stinky. In our locality, we manage drinking water from alternative sources, while some have no alternative but to drink the contaminated water. 

This is a huge issue. But see, a state organisation, instead of addressing such issues and responding to our demands, are talking about raising water prices. What audacity, if not an act of impudence. 

We have no idea how many people are getting ill drinking this water or who knows if people are losing lives. Such discussion of raising water prices in such circumstances is simply unbelievable. 

This time Dhaka Wasa is proposing an area-wise water pricing system. How realistic is their proposal? 

There is income inequality in our society. Maybe we can think of a pricing system based on income. But how much research do they have on what to charge who? It cannot be something like the more money you have, the more water you can use. The authorities must ensure that even a poor person gets adequate water, regardless of how many family members he has. 

Photo: Collected

The rich have no problem no matter how much the price is raised, but for the poor, paying the existing bill is already becoming too tough. I can support if the government provides free water to the poor and reasonably increases the prices for wealthy people, but how will they differentiate between the poor and the rich? 

For example, in our locality in Jurain, many poor people live on rent in larger buildings on a shared basis. Can you identify the poor on household-based research or lazily regard them as rich just because they live in a large building? I highly doubt Wasa has that capacity. 

Photo: Noor-A-Alam

If an area-wise price schedule is eventually implemented, do you think that could create a disparity in terms of water quality in the city?

First of all, the authority must not compromise on water quality. Every human being needs pure water. Equality in terms of quality water distribution has to be ensured. But again, does Wasa have that capacity? I honestly doubt their ability to do this. 

You can strategically raise the prices by dividing the price range for the poor and rich, but the fundamental question is, why would Wasa's water cost be so high in the first place?

Mizanur Rahman. Sketch: TBS

They would say they have to bring water from far, and water treatment costs, etc., take a toll. But Dhaka has rivers all around. They are polluted, so they have to bring water from far away. 

Now, does Wasa want to know why Dhaka's rivers are polluted? They don't, because that would reveal their role in contaminating Dhaka's rivers. Where does Dwasa's sewerage fall? They fall into the river. As a contaminator itself, Dwasa cannot blame others. 

Wasa says they are raising prices because they have to function by 'begging' from the government. Meanwhile, the MD's salary is reportedly in lakhs. What are your thoughts on this?

When lakhs of people are not getting pure water, would he have raised his salary? He would have resigned instead. But he is doing the contrary – and consequently – ordinary people are suffering. In the past, Dhaka Wasa used to change its MD every two years. But this MD has been clinging to this post for years. 

Photo: Noor-A-Alam

Is Wasa on the right track? What should be done to bring it on the right track? 

First of all, to know if they are on the right track or not, you have to learn about their operations, right? They are such a corrupted organisation you don't even have a chance to learn about them. 

We met the MD three years ago with our demands. We are his customers, yet he refused to meet us. Not much can be expected from such an organisation.