House rent and pay hike

The finance minister recently indicated that pay and benefits of the government employees would be raised from July next as per recommendations of the pay commission. Formation of pay commission appears to be redundant in these days of information technology. The pay and benefits can easily be determined using some equations and formulae based on growth rate, price of basic essentials etc.

In USA, prices of gasoline vary from one oil company to the other and they are refixed daily based on world crude oil price. We may also re-fix the prices on a monthly basis.

We learn from the media that the owners frequently enhance house rents. As a flat owner I receive a rent of Taka 18,000 per month. But the income tax office claims rent for 1200 sq feet flat should be more. I had to make a under-hand deal to convince them. The WASA officials often speak of inappropriate meter reading; here too I have to settle through under-hand dealing. My flat is valued at Tk 75 hundred thousand and I can get much more as interest against the sales proceeds. It is better doing that instead of facing officials at different steps. Where can a citizen go for redress? The highest ranking bureaucrats did not hesitate to produce fake freedom fighter's certificates for extension of their service and misdeeds thereby.

Mahmud Ali

New Eskaton Road, Dhaka