Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to Launch "Family Card" Program on March 10

This flagship project, a core electoral pledge of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), aims to provide economic security to roughly 40 million families across the country. Initially, the distribution will begin as a pilot project in one ward across 13 selected districts to ensure a smooth rollout.

To oversee the implementation, the government formed a high-level 15-member cabinet committee on February 19, chaired by Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury. The committee includes key officials such as Social Welfare Minister Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain, Environment Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo, and Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir. The primary objective of the program is to empower women, as the cards will be issued specifically in the name of the female head of each household.

Beneficiaries are expected to receive a monthly allowance ranging from Tk 2,000 to Tk 2,500, which may be provided as direct cash transfers or essential food items like rice, lentils, and edible oil. The government has prioritized transparency by integrating the program with the National ID (NID) database and a digital Management Information System (MIS) to prevent duplication and ensure that aid reaches the truly destitute. The initial pilot phase alone is estimated to cost the government approximately Tk 12,072 crore annually, marking it as one of the most significant social safety net reforms in the nation's history.