Sylhet Bureau :
A huge amount of money has been outstanding in Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) as holding tax.
The process is not maintained and the collection of tax is not satisfactory. Many tax-payers and organizations have not paid up their tax since long by showing political influence.
Many flat owners furnished wrong information about the space of flats under their possession. Many of them have built high rise buildings but using flat for both residence and commercial purposes. The owner of these buildings do not paying up tax properly. About Tk 45 crore have been unrealised since long but proper initiative has not been taken up to collect those taxes.
Sylhet City Corporation source informed, in Sylhet city there are about 54,645 holdings. Of them non-government holding is 53,570 and government holding is 1070. About 20 thousand holders did not pay up their tax regularly. So unrealised amount of holding tax of SCC has been mounted to about Tk 45 crore. In 2017-2018 fiscal year, due holding tax Tk 8,13,2083 have been realised but about Tk 27 crore remained outstanding. It is 24% less than the unrealised tax. Through investigation, it has been found that in SCC, among those who have not paid up taxes, 10 highest holding tax defaulters are Ruhul Amin Tk 7,87,500 in (ward no-13, Masudighirpar) Anwara Begum Tk 3,70,000 (ward no-2, Mirjajangal) M. Alamgir Tk 3,10,500 (ward no-4, Majumdari) M. Jahid Ali (ward no-4, Lichubagan) Tk 2 lakh, Nustah and S. Hannan Ahmed Tk 1,32,500, (ward no-5, Shahi Eidgah) Nur Ahmed Tk 1,32,500 (ward no-7, Fazil Chist) A. Rouf Tk 2,60,000 (ward no-8, Noapara) Fakhrul Alam Tk 2,60,000, (ward no-11,Bilpar) A. Kalam Azad Tk 2,83,500, (ward no-15, Al-falah Tower) Kazi Jalal Tk 3,20,000 (ward no-19, Mitali).
As huge amount of holding tax is unrealised, SCC has been facing crisis in development work. But they cannot take any substantial initiative to harness the money. SCC claims they are active. Tax collectors try to recover money regularly.
SCC officers said in each fiscal year they distribute holding tax bills in 4 installments in 27 wards and for unrealised bills, they served notice periodically. Very soon SCC will deliver all outstanding bills to the holders, will give notice to holders by newspaper. Those who cannot give tax for a long time, their tax will realized through issuing warrant. Besides, SCC will publish their list of tax defaulters.
Mizanur Rahman, Assistant Secretary of Sujon Sylhet Unit said, ‘In order to recover tax SCC has shortage of staff. We shall launch awareness campaign to create good conscience to collect tax. Tax collectors remain failed to collect steps owing to political reasons. Some staff of SCC revenue section show negligence in collecting revenue. Some owners of commercial buildings are involved in tax evading.
According to Leading University Teacher Dr. Rashedul Azim, as law is not applicable and shortage of good conscience is main reason behind tax evasion.
A huge amount of money has been outstanding in Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) as holding tax.
The process is not maintained and the collection of tax is not satisfactory. Many tax-payers and organizations have not paid up their tax since long by showing political influence.
Many flat owners furnished wrong information about the space of flats under their possession. Many of them have built high rise buildings but using flat for both residence and commercial purposes. The owner of these buildings do not paying up tax properly. About Tk 45 crore have been unrealised since long but proper initiative has not been taken up to collect those taxes.
Sylhet City Corporation source informed, in Sylhet city there are about 54,645 holdings. Of them non-government holding is 53,570 and government holding is 1070. About 20 thousand holders did not pay up their tax regularly. So unrealised amount of holding tax of SCC has been mounted to about Tk 45 crore. In 2017-2018 fiscal year, due holding tax Tk 8,13,2083 have been realised but about Tk 27 crore remained outstanding. It is 24% less than the unrealised tax. Through investigation, it has been found that in SCC, among those who have not paid up taxes, 10 highest holding tax defaulters are Ruhul Amin Tk 7,87,500 in (ward no-13, Masudighirpar) Anwara Begum Tk 3,70,000 (ward no-2, Mirjajangal) M. Alamgir Tk 3,10,500 (ward no-4, Majumdari) M. Jahid Ali (ward no-4, Lichubagan) Tk 2 lakh, Nustah and S. Hannan Ahmed Tk 1,32,500, (ward no-5, Shahi Eidgah) Nur Ahmed Tk 1,32,500 (ward no-7, Fazil Chist) A. Rouf Tk 2,60,000 (ward no-8, Noapara) Fakhrul Alam Tk 2,60,000, (ward no-11,Bilpar) A. Kalam Azad Tk 2,83,500, (ward no-15, Al-falah Tower) Kazi Jalal Tk 3,20,000 (ward no-19, Mitali).
As huge amount of holding tax is unrealised, SCC has been facing crisis in development work. But they cannot take any substantial initiative to harness the money. SCC claims they are active. Tax collectors try to recover money regularly.
SCC officers said in each fiscal year they distribute holding tax bills in 4 installments in 27 wards and for unrealised bills, they served notice periodically. Very soon SCC will deliver all outstanding bills to the holders, will give notice to holders by newspaper. Those who cannot give tax for a long time, their tax will realized through issuing warrant. Besides, SCC will publish their list of tax defaulters.
Mizanur Rahman, Assistant Secretary of Sujon Sylhet Unit said, ‘In order to recover tax SCC has shortage of staff. We shall launch awareness campaign to create good conscience to collect tax. Tax collectors remain failed to collect steps owing to political reasons. Some staff of SCC revenue section show negligence in collecting revenue. Some owners of commercial buildings are involved in tax evading.
According to Leading University Teacher Dr. Rashedul Azim, as law is not applicable and shortage of good conscience is main reason behind tax evasion.
