Farmers’ Card launch nears: PM reviews final preparations
As the countdown to the Bengali New Year continues, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has taken a hands-on approach to ensure the Farmers’ Card programme is ready for rollout.
On Sunday, he chaired a detailed review meeting at the Cabinet Division.
The programme, a key government initiative on social safety, will see the first cards distributed to around 21,500 farmers in Tangail Sadar Upazila.
Officials say the launch marks a continuation of the government’s election pledge to support farmers across the country.
Alongside Tangail Sadar, the pre-pilot phase will also operate in ten other upazilas, stretching from Panchagarh in the north to Teknaf in the south.
The Farmers’ Card will provide small, marginal, and landless farmers with an annual incentive of Tk 2,500, usable for essential agricultural inputs like seeds, fertiliser, pesticides, and animal feed. The programme covers agriculture, fisheries, and livestock sectors, aiming to ensure transparent and efficient delivery of government support while creating a reliable identity for each farmer.
Officials also highlighted the role of digital technology in the initiative, which will store and manage farmer information, speeding up assistance and reducing bureaucratic delays.
The pre-pilot phase will operate in selected upazilas, including Shibganj (Bogura), Shailkupa (Jhenaidah), Nesarabad (Pirojpur), Teknaf (Cox’s Bazar), Adarsha Sadar (Cumilla), Islampur (Jamalpur), Goalanda (Rajbari), and Juri (Moulvibazar). Authorities said this phase will help adjust operational processes and resolve issues before the nationwide launch.
The review meeting saw the participation of senior officials and advisers, including Political Adviser Nazrul Islam Khan, Agriculture Minister Amin-ur-Rashid, State Ministers Sultan Salahuddin Tuku and Mir Shahe Alam, Economic and Planning Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, and Adviser Rehan Asif Asad.
With the first cards ready for distribution in just over two weeks, the Farmers’ Card program is moving from planning to implementation, promising tangible support for the country’s small-scale farmers.