Dhaka WASA Managing Director Ousted Amid Corruption Allegations

In a decisive move by the interim administration, the Managing Director of the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA), Engineer Md. Abdus Salam Bepari, has been removed from his post. On Sunday, 8 March, his resignation was formally processed and signed following a directive from the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives.

A Controversial Tenure

The removal of Bepari comes after mounting public and internal pressure regarding his suitability for the role. Despite a history of serious allegations, he was appointed to the helm of Dhaka WASA on 11 November 2024, during the final stages of the previous administration’s term. Critics at the time described the appointment as “hurried” and “circumstantial,” questioning how an individual with unresolved disciplinary cases could be granted leadership over such a critical public utility.

Before his elevation to Managing Director, Bepari served as the Additional Chief Engineer of the organisation. However, his career has been shadowed by his involvement in three major infrastructure projects, where the total expenditure reached approximately 50,000 million BDT (5,000 crore).

Allegations of Financial Malfeasance

The core of the controversy surrounding Bepari involves claims of systemic corruption and the misappropriation of funds. Official records indicate that departmental cases had previously been filed against him. The scale of the projects he overseen—and the subsequent allegations of inflated costs—made his appointment a focal point for transparency advocates.

The government’s decision to seek his resignation reflects a broader effort to sanitise key state institutions from individuals perceived to have benefited from political patronage or financial irregularities.

Key Projects and Financial Overview

Implications for Dhaka WASA

The vacancy at the top of Dhaka WASA leaves the organisation at a crossroads. As the primary provider of water and sewerage services to the capital’s 20 million residents, the authority requires stable and transparent leadership to address the city’s perennial water shortages and drainage issues.

The Ministry of Local Government is expected to announce an interim replacement or initiate a more rigorous, merit-based recruitment process in the coming days. The removal of Bepari is seen by many as a signal that the era of “hurried appointments” without due diligence is coming to an end.