Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) earned a record Tk 30 crore revenue from trade licence in the last fiscal year as it simplified procedures to obtain the licence.

"The earning from trade licence was only Tk 9 crore three years ago and the following year it rose to Tk 23.5 crore," said a revenue official of the DCC.

Sources at the Nagar Bhaban attributed the increase to revision of the licence rates and simplification of the procedure.

DCC has authorised ten zonal offices in the city to issue trade licences. The licence holder is no longer required to go to the Nagar Bhaban every year for renewal.

Instead, the licence holder can pay the pre-fixed yearly rate at any nationalised bank and get the receipt book stamped. The receipt book provided by the DCC zonal offices has five counter foils, which can be used every year over a period of five years.

As soon as the whole procedure was simplified, the number of people seeking trade licences rose

sharply. At present there are 150,000 trade licence holders in DCC area.

"We are trying to persuade every trader, businessman, educational institution, clinic and other business houses to obtain licences," said the revenue official requesting anonymity.

Despite the DCC drive, a recent survey revealed that there are more than 10,000 business houses without any trade licences, which is illegal under the municipality act.