Two districts from which the ‘Family Card’ program can be started

The new BNP-led government is moving towards implementing the much-discussed promise of the election manifesto, ‘Family Card’. Although there are plans to launch this program across the country, it is learned that its activities may initially start from two districts of North Bengal – Bogra and Dinajpur.
These two districts are being considered for a pilot project before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, so that the beneficiaries can get its benefits quickly.
According to sources in the Ministry of Social Welfare, there is a plan to distribute family cards in a total of eight upazilas of Bogra and Dinajpur districts in the initial phase. In the first phase, the activities may start in Gabtoli of Bogra and Nawabganj upazila of Dinajpur. Based on the experience of these two upazilas, this program will be expanded throughout the country later.
Social Welfare Minister Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain said that the updated household survey data of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) will be used to identify the real poor families. Families holding family cards will receive direct financial assistance of Tk 2000 per month.
The Social Welfare Minister said that this initiative will play an important role in improving the living standards of the people of the northern region and reducing poverty. In selecting beneficiaries, special priority will be given to widows, elderly and female-headed households.