The government will launch the pilot phase of the Family Card program on Tuesday. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will formally hand over the cards to women in the Karail area of the capital. On the same day, the first month’s cash support will be sent to beneficiaries through mobile financial services.
Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury will attend the program in Chittagong, while Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir will join an event in Sunamganj.
The Finance Ministry will hold a press briefing at 2:30 pm today at its Multipurpose Hall to present details of the project.
The Family Card initiative is part of the government’s election pledge. Initially, the program will be piloted in one ward each across 14 upazilas. Under the scheme, each selected family will receive Tk 2,500 per month as direct financial assistance.
A 15-member committee, led by Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, was formed on February 19 to oversee the implementation.
Earlier, the government planned to launch the program in Bogra, but the inauguration venue was later changed to Karail in Dhaka.
Areas included in the pilot phase
The pilot distribution will begin Tuesday in selected wards and areas including Karail, Sattala, Bhasan Tech, Mirpur (Ward-8 under Shah Ali Circle), Alimia and Baganbari slum areas in Dhaka, as well as Pangsha in Rajbari, Patiya in Chittagong, Bancharampur in Brahmanbaria, Lama in Bandarban, Khalishpur in Khulna, Char Fashion in Bhola, Dirai in Sunamganj, Bhairab in Kishoreganj, Bogra Sadar, Lalpur in Natore, Thakurgaon Sadar and Nawabganj in Dinajpur.
Five-tier committee structure
A five-tier committee system will manage beneficiary selection and program implementation. These include committees at the upazila or city level, union level, municipal level, and ward level, with a central Cabinet Committee overseeing the process.
The Cabinet Committee is chaired by the Finance Minister, while the Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare serves as member secretary. A National Technical and Data Management Committee, led by the Director General of the Department of Social Services, will manage data and technical support.
Integrated social protection initiative
According to the government policy document, the Family Card program is designed as an integrated social protection initiative. Similar family-focused welfare programs in countries such as Brazil, India and Indonesia have contributed to poverty reduction.
Social Welfare Minister AZM Zahid Hossain said on February 24 that the Ministry of Social Welfare will lead implementation, with 14 ministries, including Women and Children Affairs, Education, Information Technology, Finance and Planning, supporting the program.
Although the project is beginning as a pilot, the government plans to expand it nationwide in phases, prioritizing marginalized and low-income families. Officials say the program will be implemented without political or religious discrimination. The pilot phase is expected to be completed within four months.
The Family Card will be issued in the name of the mother or female head of the household, who must be at least 18 years old. The card will store key citizen information and is expected to evolve into a universal social identity card by 2030.
