BSS :
The government is planning to introduce area-based utility billing system in metropolitan areas for enabling people from low-income group to pay less than the higher-income and increasing revenue collection.
To this end, the government will divide into zones all city corporations, including Dhaka and Chattogram, and will introduce different utility bills, including electricity, gas, water and holding tax, as per the people’s living standard and the government’s existing services, reports BSS.
Talking to BSS, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister M Tajul Islam said it is logical to collect higher revenue from the elite areas as their income level is very high and they enjoy higher facilities than the other areas.
“Why people living in elite areas and low-income areas would pay the same price with equal opportunities? A kind of inequality is being created because equal prices are set everywhere,” he opined.
The minister said the rate of revenue and the cost of utility services should be increased for the people living in upper class areas. Fixing same bill for utility services, including revenue and holding tax, in lower facilitated areas is not logical, he said.
Seeking cooperation of all in this regard, the minister urged to take the right decision for the development of the country. Appreciating the initiative, Dhaka University Geography and Environment Department Professor Dr M Maksudur Rahman said this is a good decision and it will help increase revenue collection in urban areas and reduce the pressure on low income group people.
“It is illogical to collect same amount of revenue from low income group people and rich people at the metropolitan areas. In developed countries, people pay taxes and other bills as per income.
Developing and least developed countries can not start the same practice due to mindset. Higher income group people of these countries always want to pay taxes and other bills in same payment structure,” he added.
He said in developed countries, generally the dwellers of the posh areas pay higher amount of taxes and other bills. “If the government can divide into zones in metropolitan areas, it will increase revenue collection and improve the living standard of the city dwellers,” he added.
Referring to a study, he said at the slum areas people in Bangladesh is paying higher amounts of bills than the posh areas people.
“At Korail slum area, people are paying for water 20 to 25 times more than the dwellers of Uttara area as the slum people are facing water crisis and they are procuring at Taka 10 to 15 per bucket. But at posh area, people are wasting water,” he added.
He said this initiative will be a big challenge to divide into zones, but it is a matter of research. Giving thanks to LGRD and Cooperative minister for the initiative, academician Ainun Nishat, Professor Emeritus of BRAC University, said zone based utility billing system is exiting in developed countries, including the USA and the UK.
For ensuring similar rights for all city dwellers, he said, it is logical to introduce zone-based utility billing system and it will lower financial pressure on poor dwellers and save the wastage of different utilities, including gas and water.
“If we introduce meter system for all city dwellers in case of water distribution and impose bills at different rates, it will be helpful for the poor dwellers,” he added.
