The BNP-led government has moved swiftly to implement its flagship “Family Card” program, with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chairing an inter-ministerial meeting on Thursday to finalize an action plan for the nationwide rollout.
The meeting, held at the Cabinet Division conference room at the Bangladesh Secretariat, was attended by ministers and state ministers from relevant ministries.
According to participants, the government is aiming to launch the program as early as possible -- potentially during Ramadan, ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Following the meeting, several ministers confirmed that a high-level committee has been formed under the finance minister to work out the detailed implementation framework.
The committee has been asked to submit its report within three days.
Environment Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo told reporters that the Family Card was a major pledge in the ruling party’s election manifesto and that Thursday’s meeting focused primarily on execution strategy.
“As far as I know, the prime minister wants to start it as a pilot project before Eid,” Mintoo said.
He added that the program is designed to be universal in nature, without a fixed cap on beneficiaries.
“The rollout may begin with the ultra-poor, then gradually expand to include the poor and eventually the middle class in phases,” he said.
Social Welfare, Women and Children Affairs Minister Abu Zafar Md Zahid Hossain also confirmed the formation of the oversight committee.
He said financial assistance under the new scheme would be more than double the benefits currently offered through existing card and allowance programs.
However, he clarified that existing social safety net schemes would continue alongside the new Family Card initiative, which is ultimately intended for universal distribution.
What is the Family Card?
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman first elaborated on the concept of the Family Card during a pre-election podcast, describing it as a tool to empower households -- particularly housewives -- through direct financial support.
Under the plan, each eligible family will receive a card issued in the name of a housewife to ensure that the assistance directly supports household management.
The card will carry a fixed validity period and include a scannable barcode to enhance transparency and prevent misuse.
The government aims to gradually bring around 40 million families under the scheme.
Each registered household is expected to receive monthly financial assistance ranging from Tk2,000 to Tk2,500, or essential food support of equivalent value.
The initial phase is expected to prioritize poor, lower-income and lower middle-income families in both rural and urban areas.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon said the government intends to begin distributing Family Cards to destitute and vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities and widows, before Eid.
He said the finance minister-led committee would submit a comprehensive action plan and implementation guidelines within the next few days.
The exact amount of assistance to be provided in the initial phase has yet to be finalized, he added.
Fiscal concerns and expert caution
While welcoming efforts to strengthen social protection, economists have urged the government to proceed cautiously given current fiscal constraints.
Social safety net programs are not new in Bangladesh, and previous governments have introduced various schemes aimed at supporting vulnerable populations.
Experts cautioned that the new administration should avoid rushing implementation without ensuring financial sustainability and robust targeting mechanisms.
Speaking at a media briefing titled “Starting Point of the New Government: Economic Review,” Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, eminent fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and convener of the Citizen’s Platform, emphasized the need for transparent and objective criteria in selecting beneficiaries.
He warned that political influence must be avoided to ensure that assistance reaches the truly deprived. Introducing the program before local government elections, he suggested, could raise concerns over electoral malpractice and data inaccuracies.
Allowing more time would help ensure that only eligible recipients are included, he added.
CPD Additional Director (Research) Towfiqul Islam Khan, presenting a keynote paper at the same briefing, estimated that bringing five million families under the scheme could cost between Tk9,600 crore and Tk12,000 crore annually -- roughly 0.15% to 0.20% of GDP.
In response to concerns about politicization, Social Welfare Minister Zahid Hossain said the program would not be implemented on political considerations.
“The distribution of Family Cards will not be influenced by political factors,” he said, adding that there would be no intermediaries involved in the process.