Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mohammad Tajul Islam said holding tax, water, gas, electricity and other services prices in the capital should be fixed on a zonal basis.
The minister also said that civic services would be made easier and automation would be done to eliminate hassle.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural function of the automation program of the revenue department held at the hall room of Dhaka North City Corporation on Wednesday.
The minister said, “If posh areas like Gulshan-Banani-Baridhara’s water, electricity, gas and other utility services charges are equal to those of say, Jatrabari, everyone would want to stay in these areas. No one will stay in Jatrabari or in an area with less facility. So, it is time to fix the price of zone based service.”
He said that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dreamed of building a society based on equality and non-discrimination. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is working relentlessly to make that dream a reality. The government collects revenue from every citizen. There is no opportunity to give subsidies to the rich with the money of the poor.
Md Tajul Islam said that everyone wants to stay in Dhaka for better education, healthcare and other facilities. We have to reconsider accommodating people from all over the country to Dhaka.
“The traffic congestion in Dhaka city has intensified with the increasing number of people and vehicles. The speed of vehicles in Dhaka city will become less than that of walking speed of people in the next few years,” said the minister.
The minister said that it is possible to ensure services as well as transparency through automation. There are also some challenges in automation management and they need to be addressed.
“We have to be careful. Action would be taken against those who try to interfere with the system on purpose,” he said.
Praising the initiative of the city corporation to automate the revenue collection activities, the local government minister said that corruption does not happen only through financial transactions. Depriving a citizen of the services he deserves is also corruption. Hence, it is important to be aware of the matter.
North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam presided over the function while Prof Nazrul Islam, President of Urban Research Center and Md Jasim Uddin, President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry were present as special guests.
