The government has announced that 41 lakh families will receive benefits under the Family Card program in the upcoming 2026-27 fiscal year budget. The program will provide a monthly allowance of Tk 2,500 to the primary female member of each family. Additionally, allowances and financial assistance for the elderly, widows, disabled, and those with chronic illnesses will be increased. Senior citizens aged 65 and above will receive free train travel and a 25% discount on metro rail fares.
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury proposed an allocation of Tk 1,44,338 crore for the expansion of various social security programs in the new budget. He presented the budget in the Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday. The current revised budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year allocates Tk 1,26,731 crore for this sector.
The Family Card project, one of the government's priority programs, will provide a monthly allowance of Tk 2,500 to the primary female member of each family. The program will be gradually expanded nationwide by 2030. An allocation of Tk 14,500 crore has been made for providing Family Cards to 41 lakh women in the upcoming fiscal year.
The elderly allowance program currently provides Tk 650 per month to 61 lakh individuals. The allowance will be increased by Tk 50 to Tk 700 per month, and the number of beneficiaries will be increased by 1 lakh to 62 lakh.
The government has also decided to provide 30% of the total accumulated funds as gratuity for private sector employees under the Universal Pension Fund at the time of retirement.
The widow and deserted women allowance program will see an increase of Tk 50 in the allowance to Tk 700 per month. The number of beneficiaries will be increased by 1 lakh to 30 lakh. Allowances and educational assistance for disabled individuals will also be increased. The number of beneficiaries will be increased to 38 lakh, and the allowance will be increased to Tk 1,000 per month. The scope of scholarships for disabled students will be increased from 81,000 to 1 lakh. The monthly scholarship amount will be increased from Tk 900-1,300 to Tk 1,000-1,400.
The allowance rate for the backward class livelihood improvement program will remain unchanged at Tk 650 per month. However, the number of beneficiaries and the scope of scholarships will be increased.
The maternal and child assistance program will maintain the allowance rate of Tk 850 per month. However, the number of beneficiaries will be increased by 1,24,200 to 18,95,200.
Financial assistance for individuals affected by cancer, kidney disease, liver cirrhosis, stroke, congenital heart disease, and thalassemia will be doubled. The one-time assistance will be increased from Tk 50,000 to Tk 1 lakh. The number of beneficiaries will be increased from 60,000 to 65,000.
The monthly honorarium for freedom fighters will remain at Tk 20,000. However, the honorarium for the families of Bir Protik, Bir Bikrom, Bir Uttom, and Bir Shreshtho title holders will be increased by Tk 5,000. Their monthly allowances will be increased to Tk 25,000, Tk 30,000, Tk 35,000, and Tk 40,000 respectively.
A monthly allowance of Tk 20,000 has been proposed for the families of those martyred in the July uprising. Injured individuals will receive a monthly allowance ranging from Tk 10,000 to Tk 20,000, depending on the category of injury.
