Bangladesh plans Family Card benefits for 16 million families over four years

Bangladesh will launch its Family Card program on Aug. 16 with a Tk 14,500 crore budget, approximately $1.18 billion, covering 41 lakh, or 4.1 million, households during the current fiscal year.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will formally inaugurate the program at Ward 8 of Latifabad Union in Kishoreganj Sadar Upazila, Social Welfare Minister A.Z.M. Zahid Hossain said.

The government plans to expand the program to nearly 1.6 crore, or 16 million, families over the next four years, subject to continuing evaluations.

Hossain said beneficiary information will be regularly updated through a dynamic social registry to reflect changes in families’ socioeconomic circumstances.

Union-level verification is intended to prevent eligible households from being excluded and ineligible households from receiving benefits. Officials have also planned field-level monitoring, database management and continuing reviews of beneficiary selection.