DNCC to boost tax revenue

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) yesterday started a month-long "combing operation" to increase its tax net.

Mayor M Atiqul Islam inaugurated the event from Mohammadpur under its Ward 33.

DNCC will carry out the drive in 17 wards experimentally of zone 2 and 5, before gradually targeting all the wards under it.

"The aim of the combing operation is to increase the tax net through bringing the holdings or institutions, which were dropped earlier, under it. This will also increase the involvement of councillors in the activities of the revenue section," said Atiqul.

He said they will go door to door where there will be houses, offices and commercial establishments.

The mayor said they have set up a target of revenue income Tk 400 crore from holding tax and Tk 100 crore from holding tax in the current fiscal and they have to achieve it.

"There are many residential buildings where they are running business on the ground floor. How are they doing it? I will ask Rajuk to meet me in this regard next week," he said.

"There is no capacity of the city corporation to provide trade licenses in residential areas but they are doing business here. We want a solution in this regard," he said.

The mayor visited different commercial establishments like supershops, offices, banks and houses.

DNCC also realised a fine of Tk 5.60 lakh from various establishments for not paying holding tax, keeping goods on footpaths and roads and illegal advertising.

Atiqul said the drive will identify those businesses without valid licences and bring them under the legal system.

A six-member committee headed by the local councillor and woman councillor from the reserved seat will be formed in each ward where the reserved seat councillor will be the joint convener. The deputy revenue officer will be the member secretary.

"All DNCC residents will be able to pay tax online from January 1. No one needs to go to the zone office," said the mayor.

DSCC DRIVE

Meanwhile, Dhaka South City Corporation in drive yesterday removed a human haulier (laguna) stand from near Nagar Bhaban.

A mobile court led by executive magistrate Irfan Uddin Ahmed conducted the drive to bring discipline to roads in the adjoining areas. Officials later shifted the stand near the eastern side of Nagar Bhaban.

The mobile team also evicted all hawkers from the footpaths in front of Nagar Bhaban.