Economy Desk: Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) has collected a revenue of Tk 372 crore (9 lakh) and 33 thousand 766 in the outgoing 2023-2024 financial year based on the municipal tax (holding tax and rate). Among them, municipal tax is 208 million, 80 million, 11 thousand, and 805 taka, which is the highest in the last 29 years. CCC Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury told the media that this success has come from taking various initiatives, including making the holding tax ‘tolerable’ in the appeal.
According to CCC sources, one of the main sectors of CCC’s own income is municipal tax collection. CCC has to provide matching funds at a rate of 25 to 30 percent for the development work, along with the salaries of officials and employees. This funding has to depend on revenue collection. As a result, CCC has taken various action plans at various times to collect municipal taxes.
In this regard, City Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury told the mass media, I have adopted the approach I announced to make the holding tax bearable. Allowed on appeal as per the taxpayer’s ability. This satisfied the taxpayers and encouraged them to pay the holding tax. I am in favor of increasing the holding tax rather than increasing the holding tax. Hence, the burden of holding taxes on people is reduced.
The mayor said that six review boards were formed to resolve municipal tax appeals by taxpayers. As I personally attended the review board and evaluated the tax at a tolerable level as per the demand of the taxpayers through the public hearing, the taxpayers spontaneously participated in the appeal hearing with interest, and the facility of a surcharge waiver was given to facilitate the payment of the outstanding tax, due to which the taxpayers are regularly paying the municipal tax. The discontent that the townspeople had with the householders has been alleviated.
Regarding the increase in other revenue collection, the mayor said that there is a legal obligation to bring all businesses under the trade license. 100% of traders are being issued trade licenses online and have taken steps to renew and issue trade licenses by waiving surcharges on outstanding trade license fees. Traders are taking new and renewed trade licenses voluntarily. This has increased the number of trade license issues and the collection of trade license fees.
CCC is the is the chief revenue officer. Nazrul Islam told the mass media that, apart from resolving appeals at a tolerable level, the highest municipal tax has been collected in the last 29 years due to various initiatives, including regular task force management, continuous communication with taxpayers, and strict monitoring of field-level workers.
Attainment of 54 percent of the target:
There are currently 2 lakh, 10 thousand, and 984 public-private holdings in the city. Among them, there are 1 thousand 516 government holdings and 2 lakh 9 thousand 468 private holdings. Against these holdings, the target was 384 crores, 75 lakhs, 45 thousand, and 645 rupees. On the contrary, 208 crores, 80 lakhs, 11 thousand, and 805 taka. Which is 54 percent of the target.
In the outgoing financial year, the maximum of 115 crore, 26 lakh, 39 thousand, and 21 municipals came in contrast to private holdings. Which is 68 percent of the target. 93 crore, 53 lakh, 72 thousand, and 784 taka were collected against government holdings.
47 percent of the target for the previous fiscal year (2022–2023) was met. In the fiscal year, against the target of 397 crore 50 lakh 74 thousand 942 taka, 186 crore 93 lakh 46 thousand 573 taka was collected. Accordingly, 21 crore, 86 lakh, 65 thousand, and 232 taka more municipal tax has been collected in the outgoing financial year than the previous financial year.
It is learned that under the powers conferred by the City Corporation Act 2009, CCC collects municipal tax against public and private holdings. Currently, CCC collects 17 percent municipal tax from 25 wards and 14 percent from 16 wards. The 17 percent municipal tax includes 7 percent holding tax (house tax), 3 percent electrification rate, and 7 percent urban removal rate. In wards where 14 percent of municipal tax is collected, the waste disposal rate is 3 percent.
Note that according to the government notification issued on January 31, 2016, in addition to 7 percent house tax, the institution has the power to collect 7 percent urban rate, 5 percent electrification or street lighting rate, and 8 percent health rate.
Other revenue sectors:
24 crores 65 lakhs 92 thousand 703 taka trade license fee, 85 crores 66 thousand 781 taka land transfer tax, 44 lakhs 48 thousand 560 taka advertisements, 5 crores 17 lakhs 60 thousand 114 taka subsign fee, 5 lakhs 78 thousand 664 takas In the outgoing financial year, by collecting the gratuity fee, 5 lakh 60 thousand 400 rupees mechanical vehicle fee and 2 crore 45 lakh 81 thousand 794 rupees non-mechanical fee. Besides, the revenue collected from the estate branch is 44 crore, 91 lakh, 24 thousand, 611 taka. CCC collected a total revenue of 372 crore, 9 lakh, 33 thousand, 766 taka in the outgoing financial year. Which is 16 crore, 15 lakh, and 63 thousand taka more than the previous fiscal year 2022-2023. In the previous fiscal year, the revenue was 355 crores, 93 lakhs, 70 thousand, and 269 taka.
