Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will officially inaugurate the Family Card distribution programme on 10 March from the Korail slum in Dhaka, Social Welfare Minister Abu Zafar Md Zahid Hossain announced Tuesday.
Initially scheduled to launch in Bogura, the programme was shifted to the capital due to the Election Code of Conduct, the minister said after a meeting with the Prime Minister at the Secretariat.
The launch will cover Dhaka-17 constituency, while simultaneous distributions will begin in 14 other districts under the supervision of party leaders and government officials.
Officials have completed door-to-door data collection, and data entry is currently underway. The Family Cards will be smart-card style, storing comprehensive household information for later printing and distribution.
The minister said the pilot programme will target approximately 44,000 households in Dhaka’s Korail, Sattala, Bhasantek, and Olitek slums.
Other locations include over 15,000 households in Chittagong’s Patenga, more than 7,000 in Khulna’s Khalishpur, 750 in Charfashion, and 550 in Lama. Final numbers for each area will be confirmed on 8 March.
The initiative is aimed at providing direct financial assistance to ultra-poor, poor, and lower-income families, while middle- and upper-income households will receive cards without monetary benefits.
Their cards will feature QR codes showing their contribution to the state fund. Special emphasis is placed on women’s empowerment, allowing mothers to invest in children’s education and nutrition through family support.
Zahid Hossain added that the programme is an ongoing initiative, with software designed to update beneficiary lists if household financial conditions change. The goal is to gradually promote self-reliance and reduce dependency on government assistance.
The pilot phase is being conducted in 10-12 locations nationwide, at locations chosen before the election schedule.
