PM to launch Family Card programme Tuesday; 37,567 women to get monthly allowance

Each card will cover a family of five, while joint families may receive additional cards proportionally, he says

Social Welfare Minister Abu Zafar Md Zahid Hossain has announced that 37,567 households headed by women have been selected to receive Family Cards in the first phase of the new social security programme.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to inaugurate the Family Card programme at 10am on Tuesday at the T&T playground in Dhaka.

Upon launch, the beneficiaries will receive their allowances directly through bank accounts or Mobile Financial Services (MFS).

Speaking at a press conference at the Secretariat, the minister explained on Monday that each selected female head of the family will receive a monthly allowance of Tk 2,500.

While the cardholder cannot receive other personal government allowances, other members of the same household remain eligible for separate benefits, he said.

Zahid emphasised that the selection process was conducted through software using poverty indicators to eliminate corruption, nepotism, or manual interference.

"The list was finalised after cross-checking data to prevent 'double dipping' (receiving multiple allowances), and excluding those in government service or receiving pensions," he said.

Initially, 67,854 families with a female head of household were surveyed during the pilot phase.

Of the initial selection, 51,805 households were categorised as ultra-poor, poor, or lower-middle class. The rigorous evaluation eventually finalised 37,567 families.

The pilot project is being implemented across 15 wards within 13 city corporations and unions in 13 districts.

Committees at the ward, union, Upazila, and district levels verified socio-economic data, including housing conditions, household assets, and remittance flow.

The new Family Cards feature advanced technology, including contactless chips, QR codes, and NFC for enhanced durability and security, and each card will cover a family of five, while joint families with more than five members may receive additional cards proportionally.

The government has allocated Tk 380.7 million for the pilot phase ending in June.

Of this, Tk 251.5 million (66.06 percent) will be distributed as direct cash assistance, while Tk 129.2 million (33.94 percent) is earmarked for data collection, system development, and card preparation.

The Family Card Piloting Implementation Guidelines, 2026 have already been uploaded to the Ministry of Social Welfare website for public access.