PM Tarique fast-tracks 'Family Card' to pilot in 8 upazilas before Eid
The government will particularly ensure that women receive the card, and cash transfers will be emphasised
Within two days of assuming office as prime minister, Tarique Rahman yesterday convened an inter-ministerial meeting to fast-track the launch of his election pledge "Family Card", with a pilot programme set to begin in eight upazilas during Ramadan and a nationwide rollout planned in phases.
Efforts are under way to launch the pilot programme before Eid, with priority given to the ultra-poor, Food Minister Amin-ur Rashid Yasin told reporters after the meeting.
"The government will particularly ensure that women receive the card, and cash transfers will be emphasised, as they are especially significant for extremely poor households," he said.
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Meanwhile, BNP's media cell quoted Social Welfare Minister AZM Zahid Hossain as saying that the financial support under the Family Card would be more than double that of many existing assistance schemes.
He added that while current card and allowance programmes would continue, the Family Card would be distributed universally following committee recommendations.
Under the proposed policy framework, each eligible family will receive either essential food items – 25kg of rice, 5kg of potatoes, 1kg of lentils, 2 litres of edible oil and 1kg of salt – or Tk2,000 in cash per month.
Officials indicated that the government is leaning towards providing cash assistance rather than in-kind support, citing efficiency and administrative cost considerations.
A cabinet committee has been formed to oversee implementation and has been asked to submit a preliminary report by 24 February to enable distribution before Eid. Final operational decisions will be taken based on the committee's recommendations.
Pilot areas
The six-month pilot will be implemented in one upazila from each division: Kurigram sadar, Shyamnagar (Satkhira), Dirai (Sunamganj), Lama (Bandarban), Char Fasson (Bhola), Keraniganj (Dhaka), Nandail (Mymensingh) and Paba (Rajshahi). The pilot, covering around 1,50,000 beneficiaries, will cost Tk500 crore, fully financed by the government.
Inclusion of beneficiaries
The Family Card programme establishes an integrated social protection framework, primarily empowering women by issuing cards to female heads of households or housewives aged 18 and above. The scheme's inclusivity extends to vulnerable groups without traditional family support, such as residents of orphanages.
By leveraging local food baskets, the initiative is engineered to secure 70% of a family's daily nutritional needs, ensuring both food security and targeted poverty alleviation.
In its election manifesto, the BNP pledged to issue Family Cards in the names of 50 lakh women heads of households. The policy paper states that the government is initially considering covering 50 lakh families, at an estimated annual cost of Tk12,000 crore. The long-term plan envisions extending the scheme to one crore families.
However, beneficiaries currently receiving assistance under various government programmes may be brought under the new Family Card framework, potentially consolidating existing schemes.
To ensure the Family Card programme is both inclusive and sustainable, the government will categorise households into four tiers: ultra-poor, poor, middle-class, and upper-class, serving as the primary criteria for eligibility. While the scheme specifically prioritises those in extreme poverty, disaster-prone zones, and informal settlements, it also includes a provision for manual applications to ensure that no eligible citizen is overlooked by the digital assessment.
How it will be financed
The policy paper states that consolidating existing similar programmes into the Family Card scheme will generate approximately Tk9,000 crore. Additionally, funding can be sourced from the Finance Division's block allocations in the operating budget.
The financing will be further facilitated by restructuring the Annual Development Programme, utilising unspent funds, and shifting expenditure from "mega-projects" towards human development.
Current government benefits
The policy paper states that the government currently provides 5kg of rice, 2 litres of soybean oil, and 1kg of lentils once a month to 45 lakh families through the TCB Family Card. These goods are supplied at subsidised rates, costing Tk3,500 crore annually.
Additionally, under the VGF programme, beneficiaries receive 10kg of rice during the two Eid festivals. Under the Food-Friendly Programme, 50 lakh people receive 30kg of rice at just Tk15 per kilogram for six months of the year, costing Tk2,898 crore.
Furthermore, VWB beneficiaries receive 30kg of rice, costing Tk1,872 crore. In total, the government spends Tk9,359 crore on these initiatives. Consequently, if these programmes are replaced by the new Family Card, the government will require an additional investment of approximately Tk2,700 crore.
Overlapping and fragmentation of existing programmes
The policy paper states that there are currently more than 140 social safety net programmes operational in the country, implemented across 23 ministries and departments. Several programmes are running concurrently to achieve the same objectives, highlighting a clear lack of coordination between them.
Food market stability and inflation control
According to the government, providing food assistance equivalent to the international standard of 2,200 kilocalories per family via the Family Card will protect the poor from food inflation.
Under this programme, essential food baskets will be supplied to 1 crore families every month, which will reduce shortages in the market and help curb overall inflation. Furthermore, by purchasing local agricultural products directly, the government will increase farmers' incomes and reduce future dependence on imports.
Experts urge transparency
Experts have told TBS that the government's initiative is undoubtedly positive and will play a role in providing relief to the ultra-poor and impoverished from high commodity prices. However, they emphasised on transparency in the programme.
Fahmida Khatun, executive director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue, said the Family Card initiative is certainly commendable.
"However, its success will depend on the design of the benefits and the beneficiary selection process. Previously, there have been many irregularities in selecting social security recipients, with many deserving individuals missing from the lists," she said.
The economist believes that providing cash is better than providing physical goods, as distributing products incurs administrative costs.
She added that this would involve extra expenditure, requiring the government to initiate additional revenue collection and enhance the efficiency and capacity of the National Board of Revenue.
Professor Sayema Haque Bidisha of the Department of Economics at the University of Dhaka said the importance of social safety net programmes is immense. "Therefore, the government's Family Card could offer some respite to these people," she said, highlighting that inflation is currently the most significant challenge for the poor and ultra-poor.
She noted that the Family Card concept is centred on women. "This will not only help manage inflationary pressures but also increase the status of women within the family and create rights for women over resources."
The card will play a positive role in eradicating malnutrition, said Prof Sayema. However, she pointed out that there are long-standing allegations regarding the selection of beneficiaries for social security programmes in Bangladesh, suggesting that rules are often ignored in favour of nepotism or corruption.
"Thus, while the Family Card concept is positive, its success will depend entirely on how and whom the government includes as beneficiaries," she said.
