Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury today said that the government’s ‘Family Card’ programme will be implemented in a transparent and non-partisan manner to ensure that eligible citizens across the country receive its benefits.
Speaking at a press conference today at the Multipurpose Hall of the Finance Ministry on the eve of the launching of the ‘Family Card’ programme, the minister described the initiative as one of the largest poverty alleviation programmes undertaken in the history of Bangladesh.
“This is a major programme. In Bangladesh’s history, such a large step for poverty alleviation hasn’t been taken before,” he said.
He said the programme is designed to provide economic support to families through female household heads as part of the government’s broader commitment to women’s empowerment and social welfare.
Khosru said the initiative aims to strengthen social protection while ensuring that economic assistance reaches people at the grassroots level.
“We want to build a welfare-oriented state where economic benefits reach every citizen,” he said.
Responding to a question about whether residents in constituencies represented by opposition parties would be able to receive the card, the minister firmly rejected the notion of political discrimination.
“This programme is completely non-partisan. It has been designed neutrally and will be implemented with full transparency,” he said.
He added that the government is working to establish a system of transparent governance where public services and benefits are accessible to all citizens without political consideration.
“If there is any irregularity anywhere, you should inform us. The project will be implemented with honesty and accountability,” he said.
Khosru also noted that issues such as how to support extremely poor households without female members would be reviewed after the completion of the programme’s pilot phase.
He said the Family Card initiative represents a significant step towards strengthening social protection and reducing poverty in the country.
The Finance Minister said the programme reflects the vision of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to expand social protection and empower the country’s poorest households, especially women who lead and manage their families.
He noted that the government has prioritised reaching the most vulnerable groups first—particularly extremely poor families headed by women. These women, he said, shoulder the daily responsibility of running households and supporting their families despite limited resources.
“The objective of the Family Card initiative is to empower these women economically and socially, and to ensure they receive the recognition and dignity they deserve within their families and communities,” the minister said.
Describing the programme as a ‘major step’ toward building a welfare-oriented state, the finance minister acknowledged that the initiative would involve a significant allocation from the national budget. He added that extensive planning was undertaken to ensure that the financial burden of the programme is sustainably managed.
According to the minister, the government carefully assessed how to accommodate the expenditure while maintaining fiscal discipline. “A great deal of work has gone into designing the programme and planning how the required budget will be mobilised and implemented effectively,” he said.
He further explained that the programme will initially be implemented as a pilot project. Through this phase, the government has been able to develop a transparent and credible selection process for beneficiaries.
“The lists of beneficiaries have been prepared through an independent and transparent process. There has been no politicisation or partisan influence in selecting the recipients,” he said, adding that field-level administrative mechanisms have been used to ensure fairness.
The finance minister said that in the first phase, the programme will prioritise extremely poor households, followed by low-income families. Over time, the coverage will gradually expand so that all eligible women-headed families across the country can benefit from the scheme.
Terming the initiative as a “bold and compassionate decision,” he said such programmes have long been demanded by citizens seeking stronger support for vulnerable communities.
He also stressed that strict safeguards have been built into the system to prevent corruption, which has often been a concern in the delivery of social welfare benefits.
“With the Family Card system, there will be very limited scope for misuse or irregularities. The mechanism has been designed to ensure transparency and accountability,” he said.
The minister expressed confidence that the programme will significantly improve the living standards of low-income households.
He added that even a modest financial support under the initiative would make a meaningful difference in helping poor families meet their daily expenses.
Khosru said the programme would ultimately contribute to financial stability for disadvantaged families and strengthen their social standing.
The finance minister said that the Social Welfare Minister would provide further details on the structure and implementation of the project.
“Through this initiative, we hope to create real change in the lives of our poorest citizens and move closer to building an inclusive and welfare-oriented society,” he added.