Fix holding tax on basis of size, not rent

Speakers at a programme in Chittagong demanded the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) fix the holding tax on the basis of size (per square feet) of the establishments instead of rent.

They also threatened to go for tougher programmes including hartal if their demands were not met within the next 30 days.

They came up with the demands at a press conference at Chittagong Press Club yesterday, organised by Chittagong Taxpayers' Surakkha Parsishad, where Md Nurul Afsar, the parishad's member secretary, read out a written statement.  

The CCC has begun the process of fixing 17 percent holding tax as per the Government Ordinance of 1986, he said. “We, the tax payers, think the process is unjust.” He also urged the CCC mayor to fix the holding tax as per the earlier system.

Earlier, the holding tax was fixed as per the size of the establishments (per square feet).

Where the holding was about Tk 40,000 earlier, now it will be about Tk 4 lakh, he claimed, adding that its impact will also fall on the tenants.

Former CCC councillors MA Malek, Jannatul Ferdous Popy and convener of the parishad Hakim Muhammad Ullah also spoke.

Mentionable, a process of holding tax re-assessment is going on in 41 wards of CCC, inaugurated by its mayor on March 21, 2016.