The government has allocated Tk140 crore 11 lakh 8 thousand as the second installment of the 2025-26 fiscal year grant to support the food and basic requirements of children in private orphanages across the country.
Following approval from the Ministry of Social Welfare, the funds have been sanctioned for 1,16,759 orphans residing in 4,209 private orphanages across 64 districts. These details were confirmed in a recent office order signed by Shah Mohammad Mahbub, director general of the Department of Social Services.
According to the order, this amount was released from the budget specifically earmarked for the “Private Orphanage” sector for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The total budget for this sector in the current fiscal year is Tk280 crore. Earlier, Tk139 crore 88 lakh 76 thousand was released as the first installment. With this second release, the entire allocated budget has effectively been brought under the distribution process.
As per the allocation breakdown, each of the 1,16,759 registered orphans will receive a monthly grant of Tk2,000 for six months, covering the period from January to June 2026. This results in a total allocation of Tk12,000 per child, which is intended primarily for the purchase of food and meeting fundamental living costs.
The Department of Social Services stated that the government has long operated this grant programme to ensure the welfare and protection of orphaned children. This financial assistance helps underprivileged and guardianless children grow up in a safe environment by fulfilling their nutritional and basic needs.
The funds have been placed at the disposal of Social Service Officers and upazila or city social service offices to be distributed according to established guidelines. The office order stressed that the “Government Grant Allocation and Distribution Policy-2014” must be strictly followed during the disbursement.
Relevant officials have been directed to supervise the release and usage of the funds, with regular field-level monitoring to be conducted to ensure proper expenditure.
Experts and stakeholders believe such assistance under the Social Safety Net programme is vital, as many private orphanages operate with limited financial capacity. The grant is expected to play a crucial role in maintaining nutrition and daily living standards for thousands of children.
Officials from the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Department of Social Services expressed hope that timely distribution will significantly improve the quality of life for orphans and assist private institutions in managing their operational costs.
