By Arju Afrin Kathy
The Family Card is a database-driven digital identification and social protection instrument designed to deliver regular financial assistance directly to vulnerable households. More than just a cash transfer mechanism, it is envisioned as a universal social safety platform that integrates multiple welfare services under a single identity instrument.
| Core Philosophy “Family is the core unit of development, not the individual.” The programme shifts the design logic of social protection from targeting individuals to supporting the household as a whole; recognizing that poverty, food insecurity, health shocks, and economic vulnerability are experienced collectively. |
Programme at a Glance
| Implementing Ministry | Ministry of Social Welfare, Government of Bangladesh |
| Programme Type | Digital cash transfer + subsidised commodities access |
| Cash Benefit | BDT 2,000 – 2,500 per family per month |
| Target Coverage | Up to 2 crore (20 million) families nationally |
| Pilot Launch | March 10; covering 6,500 families in 14 upazilas |
| Transfer Mechanism | Mobile Financial Services (bKash, Nagad, Rocket) or bank account |
| Card Issuance | One card per household; issued in the female head’s name |
| Selection Method | Proxy Means Test (PMT) scoring + door-to-door data collection |
| Long-Term Vision | Universal Social ID Card for every citizen by 2030 |
| Fiscal Target | Social protection budget raised to 3% of GDP by 2028 |
