Year
2026
Reform Domain
Manifesto Watch
Source of Reform Proposals
Election Manifesto of Bangladesh Nationalist Party - BNP
Reform Proposed
Reform Initiated
Legal and Policy Framework
Operationalisation
Action Implementation
Stage of Implementation
Reform Proposed
Last Update: 02-May-26
This pledge has been articulated in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s election manifesto for Bangladesh’s 13th national election. In its election manifesto for Bangladesh’s 13th National Election, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) states that "families, the Family Card will initially be launched for five million poor rural families. This card will primarily be issued in the name of female heads of households, i.e., mothers and sisters. Through this card, over time every family in the country will receive monthly financial assistance of 2,000-2,500 taka or food provisions such as rice, lentils, oil, and salt. This level of financial support will be increased gradually. The card will help reduce poverty, eliminate hunger, and ensure women's economic empowerment. Begum Khaleda Zia had ensured women's education nationally, and now BNP aims to secure their economic freedom."
Reform Initiated
Last Update: 02-May-26
On 19 February 2026, the newly elected Government of Bangladesh issued a gazette notification forming a 15-member Cabinet Committee for the Family Card Programme, designating the Ministry of Social Welfare as the lead ministry.
Legal and Policy Framework
Last Update: 02-May-26
The Family Card Piloting Implementation Guideline, 2026 stipulates that the government will provide Tk 2,500 per month to the mother or female head of selected households. Eligibility is determined to be based on a Proxy Means Test (PMT), and households with a score of 814 or below will qualify. The pilot will be implemented over four months (March–June 2026), covering 10,000 households per month.
A Cabinet Committee, chaired by the Minister of Finance, with the Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare as Member Secretary, will oversee programme implementation. A Central Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (CMEC), chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare, with the Director General of the Department of Social Services as Member Secretary, will be responsible for monitoring and evaluation. The guideline also provides a formal Grievance Redress System (GRS), allowing complaints through digital and local channels, including 333 and 1098 helplines, with resolution within 15 working days, provision for appeal at the district level, and mandatory monthly public hearings/social audits at local levels. Following the pilot phase, 2 crore additional families are expected to be brought under the Family Card system.
Operationalisation
Last Update: 02-May-26
The pilot launched on 10 March 2026 across 14 upazilas: Bhairab, Pangsha, Nawabganj, Lama, Lalpur, Thakurgaon Sadar, Charfasson, Derai, Mirpur, Banani, Bogura Sadar, Khalishpur, Patenga, and Banchharampur. According to news reports, a total of 37,567 women beneficiaries received allowance transfers against the planned monthly target of 10,000 households A total allocation of Tk 38.07 crore for the pilot was approved, including Tk 25.15 crore earmarked for direct cash transfers and Tk 12.92 crore for programme implementation costs, covering card production, digital systems, field operations, monitoring, and administrative coordination. On 20 April 2026, Family Cards were distributed among 911 beneficiaries in Gabtoli Upazila, Bogura, indicating continued rollout.
Observation
-
This programme is supposed to be the flagship social protection programme of the BNP government. In BNP’s election manifesto, the initial target for the Family Card is to provide for five million rural families, eventually scaling up to 4 crore families. However, the Family Card Piloting Implementation Guideline, 2026 sets a target of 2 crore families, while the Prime Minister, at the 10 March 2026 launch, again stated that the programme would target 4 crore families, creating some ambiguity regarding the intended scale of coverage. In addition, while the manifesto initially emphasises rural households, the pilot phase indicates the inclusion of urban poor populations, suggesting a shift in the targeting approach at the implementation stage. Additionally, no clear guidance has been identified on the duration of benefit receipt, particularly whether households will continue to receive support as long as their PMT score remains at or below 814.
As per news reports, the Finance Ministry found that, out of 37,800 Family Cards distributed, it could verify 35,844 cases, of which 6,487 (around 18%) were ineligible under the programme’s criteria. These included 38 government employees, 69 pensioners, 174 savings certificate holders, 5,021 TCB cardholders, 709 VWB beneficiaries, 113 Food-Friendly Programme beneficiaries, along with 44 vehicle owners and 319 beneficiaries of other social safety net programmes. While the finance minister stated on 27 April 2026 that over 37,000 cards had been distributed and that errors were less than 1% and would be corrected, these findings indicate a significantly higher level of ineligible inclusion, highlighting inconsistencies in beneficiary selection and verification.
It is critical to conduct a closer review of the implementation experience, particularly regarding the selection of beneficiaries and the effectiveness of the feedback mechanism. The challenge also includes ensuring adequate financing and institutional capacity to deliver the programme at the scale envisioned.
Resources
- Anomalies found in Family Card pilot
- BNP's Election Manifesto 2026
- Cabinet Committee for Family Card Distribution
- Finance Minister assures full budget support to strengthen family card project
- PM opens ‘Family Card’ programme for women empowerment
- আগামী চার বছরে ৪ কোটি পরিবার ‘ফ্যামিলি কার্ড’ পাবে: প্রধানমন্ত্রী