Prime Minister Tarique Rahman officially inaugurated the 'Family Card' initiative today, Tuesday (March 10), marking a significant expansion of Bangladesh's social safety net.

The ceremony took place around 11:00 AM at the T&T Playground in Banani, located near the Korail slum.

The program is designed to provide financial security to low-income households, specifically targeting female-headed families in its first phase.

Key Program Details
Initial Beneficiaries: 37,567 female-headed households have been finalized for the first stage of the rollout.

Monthly Allowance: Each family will receive 2,500 BDT per month, deposited directly into their preferred mobile wallet or bank account.

Smart Technology: Beneficiaries will receive a high-tech "Family Card" featuring contactless chips, QR codes, and NFC technology.

Coverage: One card covers up to five family members, with provisions for additional cards for larger households.

Selection and Verification
The government implemented a rigorous verification process to ensure transparency and prevent "double-dipping" (receiving multiple state benefits).

Data was initially collected from 67,854 families across 15 wards in 13 districts.

Following a multi-stage screening—which excluded government employees, pensioners, and duplicate entries—37,567 families were selected as the most vulnerable.

Budget and Pilot Phase
The pilot phase, set to run through June 2026, has been allocated a total of 380.7 million BDT.

Cash Assistance: 251.5 million BDT is earmarked for direct distribution.

Infrastructure: 129.2 million BDT will cover online system development, data collection, and card production.

Neutrality and Transparency
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury emphasized that the selection process was entirely merit-based and free from political bias.

He reiterated the government's commitment to ensuring that economic benefits reach the homes of the ultra-poor through transparent, technology-driven systems.