Prime Minister Tarique Rahman Inaugurates Digital "Family Card" Program
The ceremony took place at the T&T Playground in Banani, adjacent to the Korail slum, marking the fulfillment of a key electoral pledge by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). This initiative aims to provide a robust digital safety net for the country's most vulnerable populations, primarily focusing on female-headed households to foster economic independence and family stability.
Under the pilot phase of the program, eligible families will receive a monthly allowance of BDT 2,500, which is disbursed directly through a Government-to-Person (G2P) digital payment system to their mobile wallets or bank accounts. This system is designed to eliminate intermediaries and ensure total transparency. Each beneficiary family is issued a modern "Family Card" equipped with contactless chips, QR codes, and Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. The card serves as a comprehensive digital database, and the government plans to eventually transform it into a "Universal Social ID Card" by 2030 to streamline all state-provided social benefits.
The pilot project is currently being implemented across 15 wards in 13 districts, covering approximately 37,567 finalized female-headed households. Beneficiaries were selected using the "Proxy Means Test" (PMT), an automated poverty-scoring system that ensures aid reaches those in the ultra-poor and lower-income categories without political or social bias. Social Welfare Minister Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain confirmed that while the program is currently a cash assistance initiative, the government may consider providing equivalent food commodities in the future. Following a four-month experimental period, the program is scheduled for a phased nationwide expansion to all upazilas.
