Two CCC officials sacked for taking bribe
Two officials of the revenue department of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) have been sacked for taking bribes in exchange of reducing holding taxes.
CCC Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury issued the order against the officials – Kazi Mohammad Lutfur Rahman and Mosleh Uddin, tax collectors of the revenue circle 7 – on Monday (24 October).
Besides, show cause notices would be issued against 10 more officials regarding the same allegation, CCC sources said.
According to sources, there have been longstanding allegations of bribery against CCC officials in the name of reducing holding taxes.
On 15 October, Chattogram Taxpayers Protection Association, an organisation protesting against increasing holding tax in the port city, brought forward a Tk200 crore bribery allegation against CCC officials at a press conference.
Later, on 19 October, Anti-Corruption Commission and intelligence agencies provided a list of 12 people allegedly involved in bribery to the mayor after conducting an investigation.
The disciplinary action has been taken based on the report.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, mayor of Chattogram City Corporation, said, "Any irregularity and corruption regarding holding tax will not be tolerated. Those who will be show-caused will also be sacked if they fail to give a satisfactory reply."
The 10 officials who have been show-caused include Md Salim Uddin Shhikder, tax officer of revenue circle-3, Abul Kalam, deputy tax officer of revenue circle-6, Md Kamrul Hasan, deputy tax officer of revenue circle-7, Rajiv Chowdhury, tax collector of revenue circle-7, Md Salauddin, tax collector of revenue circle-1, Taybur Rahma, tax collector of revenue circle-2, Anis Uddin, tax collector of revenue circle-4, Tridip Das, tax collector of revenue circle-5, Abdul Momen Patwari, tax collector of revenue circle-6 and Mshkatul Islam, tax collector of revenue circle-7.
House owners under the Chattogram City Corporation have now been paying almost double the holding tax than before from the current financial year.
Early in this year, the local government ministry withdrew the suspension order on the increased tax rate formulated in FY 2017-18.
