From fields to finance 21,500 farmers to get Farmers’ Cards this Pahela Baishakh
As the country prepares to welcome the Bengali New Year, the government is poised to roll out a landmark initiative aimed at empowering small and marginal farmers.
On April 14, the first day of the Bengali month of Baishakh, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the Farmers’ Card programme, distributing the first cards to around 21,500 farmers in Tangail Sadar upazila.
The decision, made at a high-level meeting at the Secretariat on Tuesday, marks another step in fulfilling the government’s election promise to support the nation’s farmers, officials said. According to Atikur Rahman Rumon, Additional Press Secretary to the Prime Minister, the initiative will also launch simultaneously in 10 other upazilas, spanning the country from Panchagarh in the north to Teknaf in the south.
A digital lifeline for farmers
The Farmers’ Card is designed to function like a debit card, offering small, marginal, and landless farmers an annual incentive of Tk 2,500 to purchase essential agricultural inputs such as fertiliser, seeds, pesticides, and animal feed. The programme will cover farmers working in agriculture, fisheries, and livestock, providing a reliable identity while ensuring transparent, efficient delivery of subsidies, loans, and other government support.
Modern digital technology will manage and store farmers’ information, officials said, making it easier to track and deliver assistance while reducing bureaucratic delays.
Pre-pilot locations across the country
Alongside Tangail Sadar, the pre-pilot phase will run in Panchagarh Sadar and Boda in Panchagarh, Shibganj in Bogura, Shailkupa in Jhenaidah, Nesarabad in Pirojpur, Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar, Adarsha Sadar in Cumilla, Islampur in Jamalpur, Goalanda in Rajbari, and Juri in Moulvibazar. Officials emphasised that this phase will help fine-tune the programme before a full nationwide rollout.
Government and ministerial support
The meeting was attended by Amin-ur-Rashid, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Livestock; Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock; Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Economic and Planning Adviser; Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Local Government; and Rehan Asif Asad, Adviser on Posts, Telecommunications, ICT, and Science & Technology, along with senior officials from relevant ministries.
According to a press release from the Prime Minister's Office, the initiative is expected to modernise the support system for farmers, ensuring that government aid reaches its intended recipients with minimal delay.
As Bangladesh continues to expand its digital infrastructure, the Farmers’ Card initiative promises to be a game-changer for rural livelihoods, providing farmers with financial flexibility, a dependable identity, and better access to resources – a step toward fulfilling the country’s promise of inclusive growth.