Conditions for those who will not receive a family card

Bangla Press Desk: The ‘Family Card’ program is being launched to ensure financial security for the country’s ultra-poor and low-income families. Under this initiative, there is a plan to provide monthly cash assistance to approximately 20 million women, designated as the heads of their respective households. However, according to the ‘Family Card Implementation Policy, 2026’ issued by the Ministry of Social Welfare, families and individuals meeting certain specific criteria will be excluded from this benefit.
Work is currently underway to finalize the program’s draft and the list of beneficiaries. To ensure that assistance reaches those truly in need and to maintain transparency, the policy includes specific exclusion criteria.
The 8 categories of families ineligible for the ‘Family Card’:
1. Families with income above the defined threshold
Families—whether affluent, middle-class, or upper-class—that exceed the upper limit of the government-mandated Proxy Means Test (PMT) score will not be eligible for this benefit.
2. Families with government employees
If the woman designated as the head of the household receives a regular salary or allowances from a government, autonomous, semi-autonomous, or state-owned institution, the family will not be eligible for the ‘Family Card.’ Similarly, those who are MPO-listed (Monthly Pay Order) teachers or staff members are also excluded.
3. Families receiving pensions
If the woman designated as the head of the household receives a regular government pension or retirement benefits, the family will not be eligible for the ‘Family Card.’ An exception is made for those receiving special pensions for a child with a disability.
4. Families with financial deposits exceeding a specific limit
If any family member has investments in government savings certificates (Sanchaypatra) exceeding 5 lakh BDT, the family will not be eligible. Likewise, if any member holds a fixed deposit (FDR) or savings account in a bank or financial institution with a balance exceeding 5 lakh BDT, the family will be excluded.
5. Families owning motor vehicles
If any member of the family owns a three- or four-wheeled motor vehicle registered with the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), the family will not be eligible for the ‘Family Card.’ This includes vehicles such as private cars, jeeps, pickups, microbuses, buses, trucks, or CNG-powered three-wheelers.
6. Commercial Establishment or Business License
If any family member owns a large commercial enterprise or holds a valid, commercially registered business license, the family will not be eligible for this benefit.
7. Taxpayers with Taxable Income
If any family member regularly pays income tax and has taxable income, the family will be excluded from the 'Family Card' program.
8. Ownership of Land Exceeding Specified Limits
Families owning a total of 0.50 acres or more of land—including their homestead—are ineligible for a Family Card. Furthermore, the benefit will not be granted if the market value of the family's non-agricultural or commercial land exceeds 5 lakh BDT.
Verification Process for Applicant Information
According to the policy, the information provided by applicants will be verified through direct API integration with the central databases of the National Identity (NID) system, birth registration records, the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), the Ministry of Land, and commercial banks. This system allows for the real-time verification of applicant data. The policy also stipulates that any discrepancies in the information will be automatically detected using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, leading to the rejection of the application. The primary objective of the 'Family Card' program is to provide support to financially disadvantaged families; therefore, final beneficiaries will be selected only after verifying that they meet the eligibility criteria and do not fall under any of the exclusion categories.
BP/TD