It has been alleged that extra money is being taken to pay land development tax in the name of online expenses in Nilphamari`s Jaldhaka. About double the amount is being collected out of the money mentioned in each land development tax payment receipt.
After such allegations were raised, it was found in the investigation of the last few days, the son of Bashir Uddin of the Bhabanchur Bazar area, paid the land development tax of 11th-century land in ledger no. 4173 of Khatian no. 510 of Bhabanchur-62 Mouza of Golmunda union of the upazila on September 27.
Although the receipt mentions a total of Tk 460, at the beginning of the tax payment, Deputy Assistant Land Officer of Golmunda Union, Mr. Ganesh Chandra, bargained for Tk. 800. Nurbaksh was forced to accept the receipt with Tk 800. He was charged an additional Tk 340.
Mokhlesur Rahman of the Haldibari area paid the tax on two spots of the same mouza. In the first receipt, a total of Tk 1,111, including Tk 576 and tk 535 in the second receipt, was mentioned in the receipt, but the union`s deputy assistant land officer received Tk 1,500 from Mokhlesur Rahman. An additional Tk 389 was taken from him.
In the receipt of payment of land development tax of the same mouza, only Tk 80 was mentioned, but Shahjahan Ali of Haldibari area was charged Tk 300. The additional Tk 220 taken from him went into the pocket of Golimunda Union Deputy Assistant Land Officer Shri Ganesh Chandra. While the office was open, half a hundred landowners came to the Golmunda Union Land Office every day to pay the land development tax on the land. Extra money is being taken from each of them. And if the extra money is not paid, the land officer asks for various old documents to pay taxes.
The owners of the land suffered due to this. Besides, the land officer works only on paper in the office by keeping a government laptop at home to provide services to the common people. Although the present Prime Minister has introduced the system of providing services through online to prevent the suffering of the common people and to provide quick services, it is being questioned due to these dishonest officers.
The victims, Nurbaksh, Mokhlesur Rahman, and Shahjahan Ali said, "Ganesh Chandra, deputy assistant officer of Golmunda Union Land, took extra money from us in addition to the money mentioned in the receipt for online expenses. He also understood the money a couple of days ago and then gave the receipt. Here we are being taken hostage with extra money, and we are also forced to give it on demand. ’’
When contacted over the phone, Deputy Assistant Land Officer of Golmunda Union Land Office, Mr. Ganesh Chandra, cut off the phone saying that he would meet this reporter without giving any answer about taking extra money.
In this regard, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mahbub Hasan said, "There is no rule to take extra money beyond the amount mentioned in the receipt to pay land development tax. ’’
Deputy Commissioner Khandaker Yasir Arefin said, "Punitive action will be taken against Rashid if he takes extra outside. ’’
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