Gazipur polls: Zayeda Khatun pledges holding tax exemption for 5yrs 

Zayeda Khatun, the independent mayoral candidate in the upcoming Gazipur City Corporation polls, has announced her election manifesto with a pledge to waive holding tax for all common people of the city for the next five years.

Zayeda, also the mother of former mayor Jahangir Alam, made the declaration while unveiling her election manifesto at a press conference organised at her residence in Chaidana area of the city on Tuesday.

Though holding tax is one of the main sources of income of city corporations this candidate has promised to omit that for the next five years.

Gazipur City Corporation Chief Revenue Officer ABM Ehsanul Mamun told The Business Standard, "We collect holding tax, light tax, conservancy, collectively as municipal taxes, and we collected about Tk82 crore in the last financial year. This figure varies from year to year."

In addition to developing the Gazipur City Corporation as a modern, smart, clean and green city in the manifesto, Zayeda Khatun also expresses her commitment to complete the unfinished works according to the master plan prepared by her son Zahangir.

The manifesto promises to improve the roads, drainage and communication system of the city.

It also includes forming dumping grounds in every ward for improved waste management, installation of street lights and CC cameras, formation of ward-based monitoring cells, construction of at least four modern specialised hospitals, development of mosques, and madrasas. 

Students will be given the opportunity to study free of charge in primary level private educational institutions in Gazipur City Corporation area and special allowances were promised to the teachers of private educational institutes and kindergarten schools.

In the election manifesto, special allowances from the city corporation are promised to the teachers of private educational institutions and kindergarten schools at the primary stage, along with monthly stipends to the imams and khatibs. 

Zayeda Khatun also promises to build modern community centres, indoor playgrounds in each ward, construct modern convention centres in each zone, construct modern multi-storied markets with modern parking in each zone, create digital databases of city workers, and build hospitals for ensuring workers' healthcare at a negligible expense.

Eradicating drugs, creating employment, planting trees to create a clean and green city and several other promises are highlighted in the election manifesto.

In her election manifesto, Zayeda Khatun highlights the various developmental activities of Zahangir Alam, including the construction of 800km of roads in 38 months during his tenure as mayor.

The manifesto also raises allegations against Awami League nominated candidate advocate Azmat Ullah Khan for obstructing her election campaign.

On the other hand, after announcing the manifesto, former mayor Zahangir Alam asked for the cooperation of the Election Commission and the government for a fair election and told reporters that he has employed 3,500 agents for the election.

Also, regarding the allegation of misappropriation of compensation money for land acquired during the construction of 800km road, Zahangir Alam said, "This is a completely false, fabricated allegation. Many people are spreading misinformation about this." 

"The local government or the central government did not spend a single penny on land acquisition for the 800km road. I built this road after requesting people to donate their land," he added.