By Sanjida Sultana

The “Family Card and the Next Phase of the NSSS” Policy Note examines the Family Card Programme as a key instrument for transforming Bangladesh’s social protection system from a fragmented collection of schemes into a more integrated, coordinated, and responsive platform. Launched as a pilot in March 2026, the programme provides monthly financial assistance to vulnerable households through cards issued in the name of women or female heads of households. The note highlights the potential of the Family Card to improve poverty reduction, social protection coverage, women’s empowerment, and the delivery of government support, while also identifying challenges related to beneficiary targeting, urban poverty, programme fragmentation, digital exclusion, data protection, and fiscal sustainability. Evidence from early implementation and field-level consultations indicates that beneficiaries generally view the programme positively, but challenges remain regarding eligibility information, payment-related errors, and data security. The note emphasizes the need for an integrated beneficiary database, real-time verification, dynamic updating of household information, interoperable digital systems, and stronger coordination among social protection programmes. It further recommends using the Family Card as a platform for consolidating existing programmes, improving lifecycle-based coverage, strengthening disability inclusion, reaching underserved urban and informal-sector populations, and introducing time-bound support linked to pathways toward greater economic resilience. Overall, the policy note underscores that the Family Card can serve as an important foundation for the next phase of Bangladesh’s National Social Security Strategy by building a more inclusive, integrated, transparent, and adaptive social protection system.