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Due to the large volume of airline passengers during the months of July through October of the current fiscal year, the travel tax increased by 143.15% Year-on-Year (YoY).
Data analysis shows that during the first quarter of FY23 when the National Board of Revenues (NBR) had only set a target of only Tk250 crore, travel tax increased by Tk216.67 crore YoY.
NBR, however, set a fiscal year-long goal of Tk1,006 crore from this sector.
According to data, the NBR collected Tk444.47 crore in travel tax during the July–October period of the current fiscal year as opposed to Tk182.80 crore during the same time of FY22.
NBR data shows that total travel tax collection from outgoing international passengers stood at Tk767 crore in FY22 and Tk870 crore in FY21.
According to NBR officials, about 88% of the total travel tax collected comes from air passengers.
NBR officials said that the revenue board set a higher collection target for the current financial year as international travel had become normal following the withdrawal of Covid-induced movement restrictions.
Airlines agents now collect travel tax from air passengers while selling air tickets online. Air travel tax would also come under the NBR’s automation system in the next phase to ensure transparency and accountability, the officials said.
Outgoing international passengers have to pay travel tax at various rates ranging between Tk500 and Tk4,000 for various destinations and modes of transport, including air, land and water.
Officials also informed that the revenue board in January 2020 introduced the online travel tax collection system to prevent tax evasion and remove hassles faced by travellers going to India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar by land and sea routes.
Now travellers are able to pay the tax online using debit and credit cards issued by banks through the Sonali Bank online payment gateway system.
They are also able to pay their travel tax using various mobile financial services, including bkash, Rocket and UCash.
(DT)
