The removal of Dhaka Wasa Chairman Ghulam Mustafa following his accusations of arbitrariness made against Managing Director Taqsem A Khan has set a concerning example of sheltering the accused, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has said, liking it to shooting a messenger.
The action is contrary to the government's policy of having zero tolerance for corruption as well as the requirement under the law to safeguard whistleblowers from misuse of authority and corruption, TIB said in a statement on Tuesday.
TIB demanded accountability from the accused, contingent upon a fair and transparent examination of the charges made against him, considering the complaints of the former chairman.
TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said the action cannot be considered a regular process in any way.
"Golam Mostafa was not removed from his post, even though his tenure as chairman came to an end in October last year. But a new chairman was appointed just five days after the board chairman filed a written complaint against the Wasa MD to the local government ministry," he said.
"Even if the incident is accepted as a coincidence, according to the local government secretary, the removal of the complainant established the allegation that MD Taqsem's will is the last word in the management of Wasa, and he has the power to expel anyone from the organization to protect his interests," the TIB chief observed.
He said the move also gives a message that "to silence a complainant of corruption and abuse of authority, whoever they may be, there will not be any hesitation in embracing the practice of ‘shooting the messenger.'"
