Tk2,084cr land tax revenue collection target set for FY24

The target for land revenue, specifically as non-NBR tax, has been set at Tk2,084 crore with a proposed allocation of over Tk2,459cr for the Ministry of Land for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24.

As per the budget dockets, for the FY2022-23, more than Tk2,383 crore was proposed for the ministry but the amount was later revised and reduced to around Tk1,950 crore.

Thursday's (1 June) budget speech of Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal highlighted ongoing efforts to renovate, expand, and modernise the record rooms of Deputy Commissioners' offices, as well as the establishment of record rooms and the modernisation of upazila land offices. 

Installation of TV cameras with facial recognition features in 137 upazila land offices and 137 upazila settlement offices is currently underway.

In the budget speech, the finance minister also stated that the limited use of mobile land service centres for e-mutation and land development tax collection in various locations throughout Dhaka city will be expanded in the coming years. 

Additionally, a call centre (16222) has been established to provide land-related information services. The Directorate Of Posts is delivering khatians and mouza maps to the addresses of Bangladeshi citizens at home and abroad for a delivery fee.

The land ministry has further developed a self-contained Land Information Management System (LIMS) software to facilitate the work of Assistant Commissioners (Lands). The software incorporates features such as mutation, land-related case management and settlement, land development tax management, budget management, rent certificate case settlement, and a monitoring dashboard.

The land ministry has initiated the implementation of smart land services as part of the government's Smart Bangladesh framework. This aligns with the budget's focus on sustainable development achievements in a decade and a half, as highlighted in the "Towards Smart Bangladesh" theme.