The Family Card is set to be launched on a trial basis before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Abdul Awal Mintoo said.
The minister shared this information with reporters on Thursday (February 19) following a meeting at the Secretariat, which was chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
He said the issue of the Family Card is detailed in the election manifesto. “We discussed today how it will be implemented. The Family Card will be introduced — this was discussed today,” he said.
When asked how many families would receive the card, he said, “It will be universal. There will be no restriction. However, a committee has been formed. It may begin with the extremely poor, then the poor, followed by the middle class, and proceed in that manner.”
Responding to a question about whether it would begin during Ramadan, the minister said it would be launched as a pilot project before Eid. “Our Prime Minister wants it to start at least as a pilot project before Eid. That much I know,” he added.
Referring to a statement by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) that failure to launch the Family Card in the next fiscal year could negatively impact the next election, he said, “It will be launched; there is no problem regarding that. We are just working out the mechanism — that is, how exactly it will be implemented. That was the focus of today’s discussion.”