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Published : 06 May 2026, 01:02 PM
State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin has announced the formation of a committee to review the list of those who received social security benefits under during the previous governments’ tenures.
She said, "We have already formed a committee in this regard. The committee has been formed to revisit all the fake beneficiary lists that existed."
On the fourth day of the Deputy Commissioners’ Conference on Wednesday, the state minister said the Cabinet Division has set a deadline of 30 days to review the list of social security beneficiaries and submit a report.
She said, "We are selecting beneficiaries through our proximity test. A committee has already been formed to ensure that the benefits reach those who have needs, who are eligible, and who rise above party affiliations."
Explaining the situation, Farzana said: "We are working to ensure that all types of facilities reach the actual beneficiaries.
"If the coordination between the field level and the upper level is good, then it will definitely be effective."
The BNP government has redesigned the social security programme by providing various types of cards, including Family Cards, to implement its election promises.
Previous social security programmes are also ongoing. However, the government had said other benefits that were available to households headed by women would be discontinued after the Family Card was distributed.
When these lists are re-evaluated, the question of whether the social security coverage will actually increase was put before the state minister.
Farzana said, "It is increasing. A major flagship programme like the Family Card has been highly praised and accepted by everyone at home and abroad.
"We have started to consider that the way we actually want to run the economy is if, in addition to investing in big projects, we invest in the people of the rural community, invest in the quality of life of the people, then Bangladesh will actually be able to move forward little by little."
Explaining this, she said: "What happens is that these investments are temporary investments. Along with these investments, we are also working on how to connect them to the national economy - how to connect women to the national economy, how to connect youth to the national economy, how to increase their employment.
"We don't want to make them dependent on it [social security] just by giving them cards and monthly allowances. Rather, we are trying to connect them to the national economy by making them socially and mentally self-reliant."
When asked if the district administrators had raised any issues regarding social security, the state minister said: "They have tried to identify the ongoing problems.
"Actually, time is very short, they have shown us, as much as they can, that these sectors should be worked on. We have tried to work on them."
