Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has called for the immediate cancellation of a Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) initiative to construct a residential building on 114 kathas of land in Gulshan, alleging that the process could facilitate land grabbing.
In a statement on Thursday, TIB said WASA had initiated the process based on an unsolicited proposal from a privately owned housing company without following due process.
TIB alleged that the process could ultimately result in the handover of WASA land allocated by RAJUK to a housing company owned by an influential individual associated with the ruling party.
The anti-graft watchdog said the proposal should have been rejected outright and called for an immediate investigation into the matter.
TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said WASA is a government institution and its assets belong to the people. Any decision involving public assets should therefore be made through a transparent, open and participatory process, including competitive tendering.
“However, apparently taking into consideration the political influence of a particular company, WASA has taken the initiative to construct a WASA building on a vast property in a strategically important location in one of the capital’s most affluent areas, based on that company’s unsolicited proposal,” he said.
He described the move as a clear violation of the relevant laws and policy framework, alleging that WASA had instead formed a committee within a short period to consider the proposal, effectively becoming complicit in the company’s alleged attempt to grab the land.
“Such conduct is in no way acceptable,” Iftekharuzzaman said, urging the relevant authorities to cancel the initiative and ensure a proper investigation.
Referring to the Dhaka WASA managing director’s statement that the proposal remains at a preliminary stage and that any further steps would be taken in WASA’s interests rather than under pressure, Iftekharuzzaman said the initiative raises further concerns.
He said the land was leased from RAJUK and that RAJUK was reportedly unaware of the proposal to hand it over to a private housing company for development.
“This essentially raises concerns about manipulation by vested interests and the pursuit of particular group interests,” he said.
Iftekharuzzaman warned that using state property to serve vested interests and generate private profit would set “a highly undesirable precedent”.
He also said some members of Dhaka WASA’s performance support committee had reportedly objected to the initiative.
“If WASA intends to construct a building or undertake any development on the land in the interest of the institution, we expect that, after duly assessing the justification for such a development, it will make a decision through an open, transparent and participatory tender process,” he said.
He urged the authorities to ensure that WASA can make the decision free from political or administrative pressure, fear or influence.