Dhaka, May 14 -- Essential commodities may get costlier as the government is set to hike source tax on the same in the upcoming national budget, sources say, amid fears of inflation going further up.

Currently, the tax at source on essential commodities is 0.5 per cent each on local procurement and imports.

The rate might be doubled 1.0 per cent in the next financial year's budget to be placed in parliament on June 11, 2026.

Officials say all fiscal proposals would be placed before the Prime Minister today (Thursday) for his approval.

In the current budget, the government has halved source taxes from 1.0 per cent to 0.5 per cent to help lower prices of essential commodities, including sugar, soybean oil, rice paddy, wheat, potatoes, a...