The government has moved closer to implementing its flagship Family Card program aimed at providing direct cash assistance to poor and lower-middle-income families, with Social Welfare Minister Dr AZM Zahid Hossain outlining the application process and anti-corruption safeguards at a media briefing at the Secretariat on Sunday.

The Family Card was a central promise of the BNP’s election campaign ahead of the 13th parliamentary elections. Following the formation of the new government, a 15-member cabinet committee headed by the Finance Minister has been constituted to oversee implementation.

The committee, comprising two ministers, two state ministers, advisers and secretaries, has been directed to submit a preliminary report by February 24. The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs will provide secretarial support.

A central database will be created using National Identity Card information to register eligible families. The system is designed to minimize irregularities, eliminate fake beneficiary lists and remove middlemen from the distribution process.

The program will initially launch as a pilot project in select upazilas before Eid, with plans for phased expansion nationwide through local administration and elected representatives.

What would be needed:

Although the full application process has not yet been launched, prospective applicants have been advised to keep the following documents ready: a valid National Identity Card, a passport-sized color photograph and an active mobile phone number.

How to apply:

Once the pilot phase is completed, application forms will be available at union parishad offices, municipalities and ward councillor offices. An online portal is also being developed to allow applications from home.

The minister said the program will prioritize ultra-poor and extremely poor families. Cash assistance will be delivered directly to female members or heads of households, aiming to strengthen women’s economic empowerment within families. The amount of assistance under the Family Card is expected to be higher than many existing social safety net allowances, according to ministry sources.

To prevent corruption, the government will implement a three-tier monitoring system for card distribution. Dr Zahid Hossain said the multi-level screening process is being introduced to ensure that genuinely needy families are not excluded from the program.

He expressed confidence that the use of modern technology throughout the process would eliminate any scope for nepotism or corruption, ensuring benefits reach actual recipients directly.

The government believes the initiative, once fully implemented, will provide a significant boost to the social protection framework and offer meaningful financial security to the country’s most economically vulnerable households.