The government has appointed Prof Dr Engr Md Sabbir Mostafa Khan, head of the Department of Water Resources Engineering at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), as chairman of the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Dhaka WASA) for a 3-year term.
The appointment was announced through a gazette notification issued on Sunday by the Water Supply-2 Branch of the Local Government Division under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives.
According to the notification, the appointment was made under Section 7(1) of the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Amendment) Act, 2025, and took effect immediately in the public interest.
Prof Khan is a professor and head of the Department of Water Resources Engineering at BUET. His academic work focuses on water resources management, urban water supply, flood control, climate change adaptation, hydrology, river engineering and sustainable water management.
He graduated in Civil Engineering from BUET and later completed a master's degree in Water Resources Engineering at the same institution. He also earned a master's degree in Civil Engineering and a PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), United States.
During his academic career, Prof Khan has supervised postgraduate research and published studies on hydrology, flood modeling, drainage systems, climate change and integrated water resources management. His research has appeared in journals published by Springer, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Journal of Water and Climate Change, SN Applied Sciences and other peer-reviewed publications.
Beyond academia, Prof Khan has worked on more than 50 infrastructure and water-related projects across Bangladesh.
His assignments include the Padma Bridge approach road, the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf Marine Drive, Payra Port, drainage planning for Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), Bangladesh Water Development Board projects, Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) initiatives, Roads and Highways Department projects, and infrastructure projects undertaken by the Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Navy.
He has served in different roles, including team leader, hydrologist, water resources specialist and environmental expert.
Prof Khan also serves as honorary general secretary of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB). He has held leadership and advisory roles in several public institutions, contributing to policy discussions on engineering education, infrastructure development and water resources management.
The appointment order was signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Mosammat Shakila Parvin of the Local Government Division. Copies of the notification were sent to the Cabinet Division, the Chief Adviser's Office, the Finance Division, Dhaka WASA, Dhaka North City Corporation and other relevant government agencies for necessary action.