Bill payment no longer a hassle

The traditional way of paying bills has always been a hassle for city dwellers. But the good news is that Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) has recently come up with an initiative allowing its residents to pay bills online.

With an aim to provide hassle-free services, SCC on May 31 officially launched an app named "Sylhet Citizen Charter" -- available on both Android and iOS versions, and its newly designed website: www.scc.gov.bd.

Earlier in October 2015, SCC started receiving only water bills through its website.

With this app and the updated website, citizens can now pay their water bills, holding tax and trade licence fees, and so forth, said SCC officials.

Recursion Technologies Ltd developed the app in association with Brac Bank and Rootsoft IT.

The bilingual app is also designed with self sign-up option for users and will remind the users of paying the bills prior to the date.

All records of the payment details will be stored in the server and the users will no longer need to keep any hard copies of their payment documents, SCC officials said, adding that all kinds of payment can be made through debit or credit cards.

Faruque Mahmud Chowdhury, president of Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan) of Sylhet chapter, said accountability of the city corporation is a must for good governance and the SCC has taken a good initiative to ensure that.

Mukir Hossain Chowdhury, director of Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), said the corporation's bill payment is always a matter of harassment for the citizens.

“This app and web-based payment system is a praiseworthy initiative of the city corporation and inclusion of trade licence payment service has solved the business communities' problems too,” he said.

SCC Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury said the residents of Sylhet city will be happy to have the most convenient way of paying bills.

“I believe in corruption-free system… city dwellers used to consider paying bills a hassle as they had to visit the Nagar Bhaban -- a time-consuming task no doubt. But now they can pay their bills from anywhere and it will stop administrative corruption too,” he said.