Dhaka: Social Welfare Minister Abu Zafar Md. Zahid Hossain today announced that the ‘Proxy Means Test’ (PMT) scoring will be implemented to ensure the distribution of Family Cards remains free from political influence. ‘During the pilot phase, families classified within the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quantiles of the 0-1000 score range-representing the ultra-poor, poor, and vulnerable lower-income groups-will be automatically included in the list,’ he said, according to an official handout.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Zahid stated that the poverty tiers may be redefined periodically based on reviews and evaluations of the country’s socio-economic conditions. Speaking at a press briefing after visiting the Family Card piloting activities organized by T and T Boys’ School, Zahid inspected the Banani Karail slum and Sattala slum areas in Dhaka. He mentioned that the ‘Family Card Piloting Implementation Guidelines 2026’ have been formulated to fulfill the state’s constitutional commitment through a modern digital framework.
The minister highlighted that the core philosophy of the programme is that ‘the family-not the individual-is the fundamental unit of development.’ The initiative aims to harmonize over 95 social safety net programs, prevent multiple benefits to the same individual, and address the exclusion of genuine poor households, establishing a non-discriminatory welfare state.
Zahid explained that eligibility in rural areas will be determined based on ownership of homestead and cultivable land of 0.50 acres or less, along with family income and assets. To promote women’s empowerment, the card will be issued in the name of the family’s ‘mother’ or ‘female head.’ Under the pilot program, each selected family will receive a monthly direct cash assistance of TK 2,500, transferred from the government treasury to the beneficiary woman’s mobile wallet or bank account through the Government-to-Person (G2P) method.
The minister stated that a strong organizational structure has been established to implement this initiative, with separate implementation and monitoring committees formed at the upazila, union, and ward levels. In the pilot phase, 14 areas across the country have been selected, including Banani Karail slum, Mirpur’s Alimiartek slum, and Baganbari slum in Dhaka; Patenga in Chattogram; Lama in Bandarban; Dirai in Sunamganj; and Thakurgaon Sadar. The selection prioritized poverty concentration, geographical challenges, and backwardness.
Zahid added that according to the implementation roadmap, 10,000 families across 14 units will receive the card in the first phase, with the number increasing by 10,000 families at each stage, to include a total of 40,000 families by June 2026. The initiative is expected to be a historic charter for the economic emancipation of Bangladesh’s poor population, ensuring the dignity and rights of every citizen.
Social Welfare Ministry Secretary Dr. Mohammad Abu Yusuf, along with officials from the ministry and the Department of Social Services and teachers, were present at the event.