The government has initiated the “Family Card” programme to provide relief to poor and lower-middle-income families struggling with inflationary pressures.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to inaugurate the programme on March 10, with a pilot project launching across 14 upazilas initially.
Under this initiative, selected families will receive monthly financial assistance of Tk2,500. The Ministry of Social Welfare has formulated the “Family Card Piloting Implementation Guideline-2026” for this purpose.
The goal of the programme is that the family, rather than the individual, is the primary unit of development.
The guidelines, which are expected to be issued as a formal gazette soon, prioritise seven categories of people.
These include landless and homeless families, families with members with disabilities, and marginalised communities such as the Hijra, Bede, and ethnic minorities. Families owning 0.5 acres of land or less are also eligible.
Conversely, families with government pensioners, government employees, or owners of large businesses will not be eligible for the card.
Furthermore, households possessing luxury assets such as air conditioners (AC) or cars are excluded from the programme. According to the proposed final policy, six categories of low, medium, and high-income individuals will remain outside the scope of these benefits.
The “Family Card” was a key election pledge of BNP, and the government has prioritised its implementation following its formation. To promote women’s empowerment, the cash assistance will be disbursed directly to the female member or the housewife of the family.
To ensure transparency and prevent irregularities, the government is creating a central database where family information will be stored based on National Identity (NID) cards. Officials noted that the assistance amount – ranging from Tk2,000 to Tk2,500 or equivalent essential commodities – will be higher than existing social allowances and may be increased gradually.
Only one card will be issued per family. Beneficiaries will be finalised through on-site verification at the ward level.
While the population is planned to be categorised into four groups—ultra-poor, poor, middle class, and high-income—the ultra-poor and poor will receive the highest priority.
AZM Zahid Hossain, minister for Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs, stated that the distribution would begin on a preliminary basis before Eid.
“We have taken the initiative to distribute Family Cards in accordance with our election manifesto,” the minister said.
Prospective applicants are advised to keep their NID, passport-sized colour photographs, and an active mobile number ready for the application process. Once the pilot phase concludes, application forms will be available at Union Parishad offices, Municipality or City Corporation councillor offices, and through a dedicated government online portal currently under development.
