The report, “Roundtable Discussions and Dialogue with Government, Civil Society and Other Relevant Stakeholders,” prepared under the Social Protection Policy Support (SPPS) Programme, presents findings from stakeholder consultations conducted to assess the implementation progress, effectiveness, and challenges of social protection programmes under the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) Action Plan Phase II (2021–2026). The assessment incorporates Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) conducted in Derai, Shahrasti, and Bokshigonj Upazilas, alongside consultations with relevant government institutions, including the Ministry of Social Welfare, Department of Social Services, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, and Ministry of Cultural Affairs. The consultations examined beneficiary experiences, programme coverage, eligibility and selection procedures, benefit adequacy, digital payment systems, grievance redress mechanisms, and institutional coordination. Findings indicate that while existing social protection programmes provide essential financial assistance to vulnerable populations, including older persons, widows, persons with disabilities, women, and children, challenges persist regarding inadequate benefit amounts, limited coverage, access to information, and transparency in beneficiary selection. The discussions also highlighted progress in digitalisation, Government-to-Person (G2P) payments, Management Information Systems (MIS), programme consolidation, and initiatives to strengthen beneficiary identification and grievance redress. Ministry-level consultations documented progress in implementing lifecycle-based social protection interventions, including the Old Age Allowance, Disability Allowance, Mother and Child Benefit Programme (MCBP), and Vulnerable Women Benefit (VWB) Programme, while identifying institutional capacity, staffing, budgetary, and system integration constraints affecting implementation. The report emphasises the importance of strengthening transparent and inclusive beneficiary selection, improving benefit adequacy, expanding coverage for underserved populations, enhancing digital service delivery, and reinforcing inter-ministerial coordination and monitoring mechanisms. The findings provide valuable evidence to support the final review of the NSSS Action Plan Phase II (2021–2026) and inform future policy reforms towards a more inclusive, efficient, accountable, and responsive social protection system in Bangladesh.



