WASA seeks evidence, sources of info

The Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) sent a legal notice to the editor, publisher and reporter of The Daily Samakal, seeking evidence and sources of information provided in the report on 14 houses of WASA Managing Director Taqsem A Khan in the USA.

The notice signed by Barrister AM Masum was sent on January 15, asking them to give a reply within five days, said WASA deputy chief public relations officer AM Mostafa Tarek.

In a press release, Dhaka WASA also said the report was published on the front page of The Daily Samakal on January 9, 2023 claiming that WASA MD Taqsem A Khan owned 14 houses in the USA.

“On behalf of Dhaka WASA MD Engineer Taqsem A Khan, a legal notice has been issued to the reporter of the newspaper for publication of the ‘false and baseless’ news,” said the press release It also said a rejoinder from the Dhaka WASA was sent to the newspaper, but it was not published to date.

The legal notice asked the Samakal editor, publisher and reporter Hokikat Zahan Hoki to give a reply within five days, otherwise legal action will be taken as per the existing law, it added.

Earlier, Daily Samakal published a report that said Taqsem bought 14 houses in the US, spending thousands of crores of taka. Alleging that the WASA MD siphoned money from Bangladesh to buy the houses, the report mentioned that several intelligence agencies, including Interpol, have started investigation into the matter.

Taqsem A Khan at a press conference claimed that the media report on owning 14 houses in the USA is completely false.