Air travellers now will have to pay more as the government has hiked the excise tax on their tickets.

The tax has been increased by between Tk 200 and Tk 500, which would vary depending on routes. The new tax rate has been in force since June 6, according to a Statutory Regulatory Order issued by the National Board of Revenue recently.

For domestic routes, the tax on each ticket rose to Tk 500 from Tk 300.

There has been a Tk 200 tax-hike on tickets to Saarc countries as well.

On tickets to Asian countries (apart from the Saarc nations), the tax has been hiked to Tk 1,000  from Tk 500.

For flying to other countries, travellers would have to pay Tk 1,500 instead of Tk 1,000 as excise tax on tickets, said the SRO.

Officials at the state-owned Biman Bangladesh Airlines and private airlines have already started charging passengers the extra money, said sources.