The government has initiated steps to introduce a ‘Family Card’ scheme aimed a
t bringing marginalised and low-income households under a structured financial protection framework.

According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Thursday, a high-powered 15-member cabinet committee has been formed to oversee the formulation and implementation of the programme.

The committee, chaired by the finance minister, comprises two ministers and two state ministers alongside senior policymakers and secretaries from key ministries. Among its members are the minister and state minister for women and children affairs, the social welfare minister, the state minister for local government, rural development and cooperatives, advisers Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir and Mahdi Amin, the cabinet secretary, and secretaries from seven relevant ministries.

The committee has been asked to submit a preliminary report by February 24. The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs will provide secretarial support.

As part of the initial phase, the government plans to pilot the Family Card in one upazila from each of the country’s eight divisions. The specific upazilas have yet to be finalised.

Officials said the initiative is intended to make social safety net programmes more coordinated, targeted and efficient. In its first stage, the scheme will prioritise marginalised and low-income families.

The committee’s terms of reference include designing an appropriate management framework for the Family Card system, finalising beneficiary selection criteria, preparing for pilot implementation, assessing whether any existing women-focused cards can serve as a base platform, and developing a digital MIS by integrating data from the national ID system and the National Household Database.

Stakeholders believe that, if implemented effectively, the Family Card scheme could add a new dimension to the country’s social protection architecture.