CCC to raise holding tax
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Our Correspondent
CHITTAGONG, May 24: After ten years the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) has decided to increase holding tax in the city from next July. The CCC has completed the holding survey and revaluation activities in 30 wards out of 41 while the rest 11 wards' survey is expected to be completed within June 10 to ascertain the rate of imposing holding tax on the land owners in the city area. The survey was conducted according to Clause 21 of the City Corporation Taxation Rules 1986 to evaluate the prices of houses and lands according to their existing market price. Revenue officials in the CCC are in favour of not opening mouth on the issue fearing negative reaction from the public who will have to suffer in the long run through paying higher house rent. But concerned sources admitted that the CCC did not increase holding tax since the year 2001 and the revaluation survey on the lands and houses in the city is part of that process. Survey in 30 wards of the CCC has been completed in two phases while that in the rest 11 wards started last Sunday. The survey inspectors have been given 15 days' time to submit their report to the revenue department of the CCC. The city dwellers find this move as contrary to earlier commitments of the newly appointed city mayor M Manjur Alam who, in his election manifesto last year, said that holding tax will not be increased if he is elected. The first survey was conducted during the caretaker government when Manjur Alam was acting mayor of the CCC. But the then mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury suspended the move after being freed from the jail and resuming mayoral office in 2009 as grand alliance headed by Awami League president Sheikh Hasina came to power.
CHITTAGONG, May 24: After ten years the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) has decided to increase holding tax in the city from next July. The CCC has completed the holding survey and revaluation activities in 30 wards out of 41 while the rest 11 wards' survey is expected to be completed within June 10 to ascertain the rate of imposing holding tax on the land owners in the city area. The survey was conducted according to Clause 21 of the City Corporation Taxation Rules 1986 to evaluate the prices of houses and lands according to their existing market price. Revenue officials in the CCC are in favour of not opening mouth on the issue fearing negative reaction from the public who will have to suffer in the long run through paying higher house rent. But concerned sources admitted that the CCC did not increase holding tax since the year 2001 and the revaluation survey on the lands and houses in the city is part of that process. Survey in 30 wards of the CCC has been completed in two phases while that in the rest 11 wards started last Sunday. The survey inspectors have been given 15 days' time to submit their report to the revenue department of the CCC. The city dwellers find this move as contrary to earlier commitments of the newly appointed city mayor M Manjur Alam who, in his election manifesto last year, said that holding tax will not be increased if he is elected. The first survey was conducted during the caretaker government when Manjur Alam was acting mayor of the CCC. But the then mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury suspended the move after being freed from the jail and resuming mayoral office in 2009 as grand alliance headed by Awami League president Sheikh Hasina came to power.