The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives on Wednesday filed a petition with the Appellate Division challenging a recent High Court order that barred AKM Shahid Uddin from serving as the managing director of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority.
The High Court in its order on September 5 had also directed the ministry to provisionally appoint the most senior deputy managing director of DWASA as the organisation鈥檚 MD, effective from August 15.
The Appellate Division鈥檚 vacation judge, Md Rezaul Haque, is scheduled to hear the government鈥檚 appeal on Thursday, alongside a separate appeal filed by incumbent DWASA managing director Shahid Uddin, challenging the High Court decision.
Following the High Court鈥檚 September 5 order, DMD Syed Mohammad Golam Yazdani, who had been removed by ex-DWASA MD Taqsem A Khan, attempted to be the MD of the organisation.
The High Court had earlier ruled in favor of Yazdani鈥檚 reinstatement, but DWASA had appealed against that decision.
The High Court issued the ban on Shahid Uddin鈥檚 holding office after hearing a writ petition filed by Dhaka WASA Shramik Union president Annisuzzaman challenging the legality of Shahid Uddin鈥檚 appointment as the MD.
The petition argued that Shahid Uddin had not been appointed by the DWASA Board, as required by the law.
Previously the director for technical services, Shahid Uddin became DWASA MD on August 14, after the removal of long-serving MD Taqsem A Khan following the fall of Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government amid a student-led movement on August 5.
In its appeal, the government argued that the High Court overstepped its authority by directing the appointment or removal of officials, as such decisions fall within the government鈥檚 policy-making domain.
