Home ›› 17 Mar 2023 ›› Front
The High Court on Thursday ruled that the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) will not be allowed to further to hike water tariffs without formulating a proper pricing policy.
The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo delivered the verdict after hearing a writ petition filed by Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB).
The rule, however, will not be applicable to previous water price hikes.
Besides, the bench also declared the decision to award performance bonuses to employees of Dhaka WASA illegal.
Petitioner’s counsel Jyotirmoy Barua said, “Fixing water prices without formulating a policy is against sections 21 and 22 of the WASA Act 1996.”
He said, “WASA is a statutory body, not a company and this is why WASA employees are employees of the state. They are to receive salaries and allowances as per the national pay scale.”
“Therefore, WASA employees cannot get any performance bonus or award for reaching pre-established goals and benchmarks,” said the Supreme Court lawyer,
According to the writ petition, in the 291st meeting of Dhaka WASA board on April 27 last year, it was decided to give performance award (performance bonus) to its employees, which will be equal to three basic salaries.
The petition said the authorities of the Dhaka WASA cannot award performance bonuses to its officers and employees treating the organisation as a business venture.
The managing director and CEO of Dhaka WASA introduced this corporate practice of awarding performance bonus, which is against the provisions of the Dhaka WASA Act, 1996.
It also said in the petition that there is no competitor in the service and hence the question of awarding performance bonus to the employees does not arise at all.
