Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain said that if Chattogram is to become self-reliant in meeting development expenditure, it must focus more on revenue collection.
At the same time, it must be ensured that no citizen is harassed while paying taxes.
He came up with these remarks at a meeting with tax collectors and permit inspectors of the Revenue Department at the CCC Public Library hall on Thursday.
You work for the welfare of the city's residents. Without your constant efforts, development will be hampered. He said that city dwellers pay taxes so that their children can attend a good school, their neighborhood's streets can be repaired, or they can receive better services.
Therefore, your sincerity, good conduct, and professionalism are essential in this revenue collection.
Stating that interference by influential people in revenue collection will not be accepted, the mayor said, "It is often seen that rich and influential people want to evade taxes or put pressure to prevent collection."
I am clearly saying that no matter how influential someone is, strict action will be taken against them if they obstruct revenue collection. You should work according to the law, I will be by your side.
The mayor also said that revenue collection is not done just by giving orders, but by explaining and reasoning to the people. We need to convey the reality that if they do not pay the withholding tax, they may be subjected to harassment in the future. We need to convince and cooperate and collect taxes.
The mayor said at the meeting that CCC is working with an organization to automate the holding tax system. In the future, this tax collection will be completed online, which will ensure greater transparency and citizen convenience.
The mayor told the revenue officials that the budget will be presented on June 23. There are only 10-11 days left. During this time, a well-organised action plan will have to be taken to collect revenue.
Work according to the target. I will call organizations that have large amounts of outstanding revenue, and stand by them if necessary. By working together, we can build the City Corporation into a debt-free and effective institution.
The mayor also said, "The responsibility of revenue collection is not just a financial task, it is a place of trust. You go out in the morning, you work all day, it is built on trust. That trust must be protected."
