Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain on Monday presented a proposed budget of 2,145.42 crore Taka for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The plan focuses on clearing inherited debt and increasing revenue by expanding the tax base rather than raising rates.
During his first budget session, the mayor also presented a revised budget of 1,021.96 crore Taka for the current 2024-25 fiscal year.
Tackling Inherited Debt
Hossain, who took office in November 2023, said he began his term facing a massive financial challenge.
“I started with a debt of 450 crore Taka,” Hossain said. “Including other liabilities, the total debt was 596 crore Taka. I love facing challenges.”
In the past eight months, the administration has paid off nearly 150 crore Taka, reducing the total debt to around 400 crore. “I will bring the corporation’s debt down to zero,” he pledged.
Boosting Revenue Through Fairer Collection
To fund the city’s development, the mayor outlined a strategy to boost revenue without burdening current taxpayers. A key achievement has been collecting 140 crore Taka in municipal tax from the Chattogram Port Authority, which he called a first in the city’s history.
The city is also cracking down on undervalued commercial contracts. Hossain gave an example of seven billboards at Central Plaza that generated crores for a private company but paid the city only 21 lakh Taka. He also mentioned Biplob Udyan, a park whose annual payment to the city has been raised from 1 lakh to nearly 20 lakh Taka.
“We will cancel these agreements and create new ones based on logical tax rates,” he said. The city is also working to bring all 126,834 businesses under its trade license system, which is now fully online.
A Push Towards Digitalization
A major part of the new administration’s plan is digitalization. The mayor recently launched a new job portal (ccc.gov.bd) to streamline hiring and increase transparency. The portal has already received over 35,000 applications for 123 positions.
Other tech-focused plans include:
Developing Human Resource management software for city employees.
Establishing One-Stop Service Centers in every ward.
Creating a modern web portal and mobile app for citizen services.
A Vision for a ‘Clean and Green’ City
If residents want a cleaner, greener, and safer city that’s also a booming tourist spot, the mayor says they need to do their part. He’s asking everyone to pay their holding taxes promptly, explaining that this tax revenue is absolutely essential for making his “Clean, Green, Healthy, and Safe” vision a reality.
“I don’t want to impose an additional burden of taxes on the people,” Hossain said. “We want to ensure a comfortable situation for taxpayers.”
