HC asks ACC to probe allegations of Wasa MD's properties in US

The High Court has sought information on the progress of the investigation into two complaints filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) regarding the alleged properties of Dhaka Wasa Managing Director Engineer Taqsem A Khan in the United States.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat gave the order verbally on Monday after a national daily published a report headed "Wasa's Taqsem A Khan's 14 homes in the US".

The HC bench also asked the ACC to inform it about the progress within 15 days.

ACC senior lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan brought the news to the court's attention.

However, the Dhaka Wasa MD, while speaking with The Business Standard on Monday, termed the allegations brought up against him "100% fake".

"Neither I nor any of my family members own a house in the USA. None of the information provided in the reports is true. A vested quarter, for the past 13 years, has been spreading rumours about me," he said.

Meanwhile, when asked why the ACC drew the court's attention before they moved to enquire into the matter, ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told TBS that he independently moved with the petition on Monday after the report had been published.

"Earlier several courts also ordered the investigation of corruption allegations against the Dhaka Wasa MD. The ACC is also independently scrutinising the US residences allegations. In the meantime, I just informed the court that more allegations are surfacing," he added.

Regarding his US citizenship, Taqsem said the only thing that the media reports got right was about him being a US citizen. "I have been living in the USA since 1985.

"My family, including my wife, are residents of the USA. I was brought from the USA to Bangladesh and assigned to Wasa," he added.

In 2009, Engineer Taqsem A Khan was appointed as the MD of Dhaka Wasa. Since then, he has been reappointed multiple times. His tenure has been extended six times since his first appointment.