PM Tarique launches Family Card Program for women-led households
News Desk
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday launched the Family Card program for women-led households, fulfilling a key election pledge.
The program was inaugurated at the T&T playground in Banani, near the Korail slum in Dhaka.
The prime minister’s Dr. Zubaida Rahman, cabinet members, and officials involved in implementing the program attended the event. The inauguration included recitations from the Holy Quran and other religious texts, followed by the BNP party song “Prothom Bangladesh Amar Shesh Bangladesh,” with the prime minister and attendees joining in applause. Social Welfare Secretary Dr Abu Yousuf delivered the welcome speech.
A Ministry of Social Welfare press briefing on Monday said the program was being implemented on a pilot basis in 15 wards across 13 districts. Generally, one card will be issued per household of five members, while larger or joint families may receive additional cards proportional to family size.
In the initial phase, beneficiaries will receive a monthly cash support of Tk2,500, though the government is considering replacing the cash allowance with food assistance of equivalent value in the future. Officials described the initiative as a “landmark step” aimed at ensuring women’s empowerment, economic freedom, and social justice.
Data was collected from 67,854 women-led households during the pilot phase. Field teams assessed family size, education, housing conditions, and living standards to build a comprehensive database. To prevent interference or nepotism, poverty indicators were determined automatically using Proxy Means Test (PMT) software.
After verification, 37,567 families were selected for the allowance, excluding households receiving multiple government benefits, government employees, and pensioners.
Family Cards will feature modern security technologies, including contactless chips, QR codes, and NFC functionality. Under the Government-to-Person (G2P) system, allowances will be deposited directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts or mobile wallets, eliminating the risk of intermediaries or misappropriation.
Strict eligibility criteria have been introduced to ensure transparency. Families will not qualify if any member works in a government or autonomous institution, is an MPO-listed teacher, or owns savings certificates worth more than Tk500,000 or luxury assets such as a car or air conditioner.
A total of Tk38.07 crore has been allocated for the pilot project through June, with 66% distributed as cash assistance and the remainder spent on card production and system development. Detailed guidelines have been published on the Ministry of Social Welfare’s website.
Officials said the program will help ensure economic independence for marginalized women and mark a significant step in Bangladesh’s transition from Digital Bangladesh to Smart Bangladesh.
Social Welfare Minister AZM Zahid Hossain said committees at ward, union, upazila, and district levels, comprising representatives from various government departments, are responsible for collecting data, verifying information, and finalizing beneficiary lists.
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