Land revenue collection in Barisal rises to Tk 28.90cr

UNB, Barisal :
Collection of land revenue in the district has increased by Tk 9 crore to Tk 78.90 crore in 2013 compared to the previous year.
Sources at the Barisal district Land Revenue and Land Registration offices said Tk 69.5 crore revenue was collected from registration of 52,274 deeds for buying and selling of land in 2012 in 10 upazilas of Barisal district.
In 2013, land revenue collection increased to Tk 78. 9 crore from the registration of 48,636 land transfer deeds, said Abu Talib Khan, District Registrar of Barisal.
Barisal Sadar sub-registrar Asadul Islam said that his office registered 10,542 land transfer deeds in 2009; 15,048 in 2010; 15,048 in 2011; 17,361 in 2012; and 15,691 deeds in 2013.
Barisal sadar upazila assistant commissioner of land Ashafur Rahman said revenue was fixed on the basis of government-fixed valuation of land in terms of categories and area.
He, however, said that both sellers and buyers often collaborate to evade land taxes by changing categories of agricultural land into wetland and homestead to agricultural land while transferring the ownership of land.
Ashafur Rahman said his office collected Tk 18.6 lakh by disposing 122 out of the 137 cases of alleged stamp deficit within only eight months from April to November 2013.
At least Tk 50 core of revenue has been evaded in last ten years in the 10 upazilas of Barisal district, he said.