The High Court today declared that authorities of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority cannot hike water tariff until a rule is formulated under the Wasa Act in this regard.
The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo delivered the verdict after hearing a petition filed by Consumer Association of Bangladesh, petitioner's lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua said.
Details of the HC verdict could not be known as its full text was not released yet.
Wasa lawyer Sayed Mahshib Hossain told this correspondent that his client will move an appeal before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court after receiving the HC verdict.
The HC also declared illegal the decision to award performance bonuses to employees of Dhaka Wasa.
According to the petition, in the 291st meeting of Dhaka Wasa board on April 27 last year, it was decided to give a performance award (performance bonus) to its employees, which will be equal to three basic salaries.
The petition said the authorities of Dhaka Wasa cannot award performance bonuses to its officers and employees by 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.
Moreover, there is no competitor in the service, and hence, the question of awarding performance bonus to the employees does not arise at all, the petitioner stated in the petition.
