Chittagong City Mayor (CCC) A J M Nasir Uddin said corporation will not come out from the law. All should be loyal to the rule and pay the taxes as per prevailing law, he said.
Addressing a press conference at Abdus Sattar Hall of CCC Nasir Uddin alleged that some identified persons are engaged with conspiracy against CCC by telling that CCC has increased the holding taxes around 100 times. But, in the new assessment, the total holding taxes is increased around only 4 times, he pointed out on Wednesday.
He expressed determination that the CCC will take holding taxes as per new assessment. “There is an options to appeal on assessment. If any wrong holding taxes is imposed on any one in the new assessment, he can appeal in this regard.”
He pointed out that the expenditure of CCC increased several times than earlier. The salaries of mayor, ward councilors doubled than the previous elected bodies of CCC. “Besides, the salaries of staffs and workers have also increased. So, we need more money to meet the expenditure of CCC.”
Moreover, he has to ensure the service to the city dwellers. “Without money and taxes how can we ensure the service to people,” he asked. As per prevailing law, we may impose 27 percent taxes on the city dwellers. But, now, CCC is taking only 17 percent taxes regarding the holdings, he said.
He mentioned that in the last fiscal, the private tax payees contributed only Tk 23.70 crore in last fiscal (2016-17) against the expenditure of Tk 453.83 crore in development and management sector of CCC. The CCC got only Tk 18.63 crore regarding the cleaning of the city while spent Tk 79.10 crore in last fiscal.
He said the expenditure of CCC regarding the salaries of staffs, mayor and councilors was Tk 71.47 crore in 2009-10 fiscal while the expenditure wasTk 191.71 crore in last fiscal. Mayor said the expenditure of CCC regarding the management, lighting and power was Tk 178.37 crore in 2009-10 fiscal while the expenditure was Tk 1567.69 crore in last fiscal.
The chief revenue office of CCC displayed a power point presentation comparing the present and previous taxes, sources said.
Collecting taxes as per city corporation laws : City Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin said he is not above the laws of the land and accountability , as such he is firm to reply to the letters of the former Mayors – ABM
Mohiuddin Chowdhury and Manzoor Alam in respect of holding taxes. He disclosed it while addressing the press conference arranged at City copraotion auditorium on Wednesdayday morning .
City Mayor express determination that the CCC will collect holding tax as per new easement. The press conference so arranged following the protests and hesitations from former Mayors and councilors and dwellers of the city irrespective of caste and creed against the new assessment of holding taxes. He also disclosed that former mayors given letters to City Mayor and hoped the reply of these letters will be given in writing by 3 or days. In the press meet, the city mayor vows rigid in fixing holding taxes as per existing city corporation rules. He further mentioned that CCC proposes to fix holding taxes at the rate of 17% instead of 27%.
He further said CCC has decided to exempt 100% surcharges from holding tax and trade license fees considering the sufferings of the city dwellers. Among others, chief executive officer Md. Shamsudoha, Chief Revenue officer Dr. Md. Mustfizur Rahman, Panel Mayor Chowdhury Hasan Mahmud Hasni, councilor Hasan Murad, Ismail Bali, Shaibal Das and Abida Azad were present in the press meet.
CCC Mayor rigid to increase holding taxes: In spite of strong protest against the decision of increasing holding taxes in Chittagong city, the mayor of CCC is still rigid on his stand. The leaders of Chittagong City committee of ruling Awami League postponed the meeting with the Mayor of CCC A J M Nasir Uddin regarding the increased holding taxes.
On the other hand, Nasir Uddin is going to hold a press conference today regarding his stand on increased taxes, the Public Relation Officer of CCC Abdur Rahim said.
Sources said, people of Chittagong are continuing the processions and programs against Mayor and ward councilors of CCC for increasing the holding taxes several times more than the prevailing taxes.
The president of Chittagong City Awami League and former mayor of CCC A B M Mohiuddin Chowdhury and another former mayor M Manjur Alam sent letters to incumbent mayor regarding the increased holding taxes in the current month.
Moreover, the meeting of 14 Party Alliance led by Awami League held at the residence of Mohiuddin Chowdhury at Chasma Hill in the port city on Tuesday evening.
The meeting was chaired by A B M Mohiuddin Chowdhury while NAP leader Ali Ahamod Najir, JSD leader Jashim Uddin Babul, Gonotantrik Party leader Islam Ashrafi, NAP leader Mithul Das Gupta and Foyej Ullah Worker’s Party leader Sharif Chouhan, alliance leaders Abdul Latif, A T M Jafrul Alam and Samiron Das addressed the meeting.
The meeting gave an ultimatum of one month to CCC for withdrawing the decision of increasing taxes. Otherwise, the 14 Party Alliance will declare hard movement against the incumbent mayor and councilors to save the people of Chittagong. It may be mentioned that the former mayor of CCC M Manjur Alam also attended the meeting.
In the mean time, Nasir Uddin held another meeting with the councilors on Tuesday evening. He explained his position for increasing holding taxes in the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, he said, “Vested quarters are trying to discourage the city dwellers for paying taxes by telling that the city corporation has increased the holding taxes.
But, it is fact that CCC is not increasing any taxes, but reassessment of the values of holdings causing the increase of holding taxes.”
“Although many owners of the holdings are not paying taxes in time, they are criticizing the activities of mayor. So, I have to say, pay the taxes first and take the service from CCC,” he added.
Pointing to the two former mayors A B M Mohiuddin Chowdhury and M Manjur Alam the incumbent mayor also said in the meeting, “I know who are standing behind the movement against increased taxes. What did they do during their tenure? Why they are involving themselves against the activities of CCC?”
Nasir Uddin further said that the City Corporation is considering the sufferings of the city dwellers. So decision has been taken to exempt 100 percent surcharge on holding taxes and trade license fees. “We also decided to fix the slab construction fees in the lowest rate.”
