Due to transparency in tender process, the revenue of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) has increased over 59 percent within the four years since 2013 by leasing out eight cattle markets in the city.

The CCC leases out six makeshift cattle markets during Eid-ul-Azha and two permanent ones round the year. The corporation has earned around Tk 14.73 crore this year whereas it was Tk 11.66 crore in 2015; and Tk 11.81 crore and Tk 9.24 crore in 2014 and 2013 respectively, said CCC sources.

They also said the CCC earned Tk 2.02 crore by leasing out six makeshift cattle markets in 2013, while it earned Tk 2.61 crore in 2014; Tk 2.75 in 2015 and Tk 3.84 in 2016.

The revenue has increased due to transparency in the tender process over the years and since the last two mayors ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury and M Manjur Alam and Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin played active roles to remove anomalies from it, said traders and CCC officials.

Nur Mohammad, a leaseholder of Steel Mill makeshift cattle market, said he was not involved with any political party and got lease of a cattle market through an open tender. “We paid Tk 91.51 lakh this year, which was Tk 60.51 lakh in 2015. The rate increased due to a high competition and a fair tender process,” he said.

Abdus Sattar, leaseholder of Bibirhat cattle market, said they have got the lease at Tk 2.68 crore, which is around Tk 50 lakh higher than the last year. He also echoed Nur Mohammad when asked about the tender process.

Meanwhile, some leaseholders said since they had incurred losses in the previous years they did not take part in this year's tender.

Abdur Rahim Sawdagor took the lease of Bibirhat cattle market, a permanent cattle market, for seven to eight times since 1994.

He said he was not taking part in the bidding for the last two years. “We had quarrels with the locals over keeping cattle on the road. Also many did not want to pay our fees after buying sacrificial animals.” He, however, said the tender process has always been transparent.

The leaseholders get 5 percent of the sale price of each cattle from the buyers.

“We have assessed the market of the previous year and are hopeful that we will make profit,” said Manjurul Alam, a leaseholder of Saltgola cattle market. He said they have got the lease for Tk 44.44 lakh, which is almost double than that of the previous year.

Contacted, Mohammad Manjurul Islam, chief revenue officer (acting) of CCC, said the tender process was held in a fair and transparent way, without politics or influence of political party.