Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has postponed his planned visit to Bogura, originally scheduled for 10 March, to attend a ‘Family Card’ distribution programme.
The decision amid the upcoming by-election in the constituency, district authorities confirmed.
Bogura Deputy Commissioner Toufiqur Rahman told the media on Monday night that the 10 March programme has been cancelled. A new date for the Prime Minister’s visit will be announced later.
Tarique Rahman won the Bogura-6 (Sadar) seat in the 13th national parliamentary elections, in addition to securing victory from Dhaka-17.
In accordance with election rules, he vacated the Bogura-6 seat prior to taking oath.
The Bangladesh Election Commission has scheduled a by-election for the vacated seat on 9 April.
BNP district committee president Rezaul Karim Badsha is contesting as the party’s candidate.
Rezaul Karim Badsha said, “Since the by-election is taking place in Bogura Sadar, holding the Family Card distribution programme at this time could raise questions regarding election rules. The Prime Minister has postponed the visit to remain within the legal framework.”
Earlier, on 27 February, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Mir Shahe Alam had informed reporters during a visit to Shibganj in Bogura that the Prime Minister would inaugurate the Family Card programme in the district on 10 March.
As part of the pilot project, Ward No 3 of Shakharia Union in Bogura Sadar was selected for trial implementation.
Field-level data collection to identify beneficiary families has already begun. Separate committees at district, upazila, and ward levels have been formed under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner and Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer to ensure smooth implementation.
According to authorities, each registered family under the programme will receive Tk 2,500 per month. The scheme targets women from the extremely poor, poor, and lower-middle-class households. Only one woman per family will be registered to receive support.
The pilot phase will run for four months, with plans to gradually expand the scheme to all upazilas nationwide. The Family Card programme also fulfils a key election pledge of the BNP.
