Photo: Collected
Household-based data collection began simultaneously across the country today to bring nearly 4.5 crore families under a single digital database. The drive is part of the ‘Family Card’ programme the government has taken up as a priority to ensure women’s empowerment, economic independence and self-reliance.
Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain outlined the initiative at a press conference held at the conference room of the Press Information Department (PID) at the Secretariat this afternoon.
State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin Putul, ministry secretary Dr Mohammad Abu Eusuf, PID Principal Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmed and officials concerned of the Department of Social Services and the ministry were present.
At the briefing, the minister said that as part of the Family Card programme, data collection by visiting every household in person began across the country today, 12 October. A total of 66,815 trained enumerators are carrying out the work in the field, backed by 6,681 supervisors. Data collection will be completed by 30 November, and a full database will be ready by December.
According to Dr Zahid Hossain, ordinary people will not have to go to any government office or plead with anyone for a family card; the government’s enumerators will themselves reach the doorstep of every family. Eligible families will be selected automatically from the database using the fully scientific proxy means test (PMT) method. As a result, there will be no scope for political influence, nepotism or any unfair means in the process.
He further said that at the initial stage, between 1.6 crore and 2.1 crore extremely poor, poor and lower-income families will be identified as eligible for the allowance, based on their PMT scores, out of 4.5 crore families (counting one family for every five members).
According to Minister Dr Zahid Hossain, 41 lakh new women heads of households are coming under the allowance in the current 2026-27 fiscal year. All eligible families will receive the benefit in phases over the next four years. The allocation for implementing the programme this fiscal year is Tk 14,500 crore, of which Tk 12,300 crore has been earmarked for allowances.
On the security of the card, the minister said the family card to be handed to women cardholders will be highly secure. It will have a dual chip, a QR code and near field communication (NFC) technology, and will be linked to the government’s ‘Taka Pay’ payment scheme. As a result, beneficiaries will be able to withdraw their allowance from wherever is convenient for them, through POS machines at shopping centres, ATM booths of any bank, or mobile financial services such as bKash and Nagad.
Replying to a question from journalists, the minister said that to keep the entire process transparent and ensure no eligible family is left out, arrangements have been made for lodging complaints and appeals both offline and online through the ‘Seba Kendra’ (service centre) at every union parishad office. In addition, the collected data will be cross-checked against the finance ministry’s iBAS system to verify its accuracy.
The minister further said that regular research and reviews will be conducted, involving various local and foreign international organisations, to assess the impact the programme is having on families and society.
