Staff Correspondent

Dhaka Deputy Commissioner (DC) Miz Farida Khanam on Wednesday stated that the government's Family Card initiative will become a symbol of capability and empowerment for underprivileged households across the country.

 She made the remarks while addressing the inauguration ceremony of the third phase of the Family Card distribution program held at the Ruhitpur Upazila Parishad ground in Keraniganj on Wednesday. 

Speaking on the core philosophy of the project, DC Farida Khanam noted that the program embodies one of the current government's most visionary commitments: "Family, not the individual, is the primary unit of development". She added that this initiative translates that philosophy into reality by bringing the country's actual poor, helpless, and marginalized families under a well-coordinated social safety net framework.

Under the third phase of the rollout, a total of 1,275 families from two unions of Keraniganj upazila are being brought under the coverage of the Family Card program. The DC emphasized that this is not merely an administrative distribution drive, but rather a new journey toward securing social protection, restoring human dignity, and fostering inclusive development.

The Deputy Commissioner further explained that more than 95 social safety net programs are currently being operated across Bangladesh through 23 different ministries. The Family Card, she stated, will lay the groundwork to integrate these scattered services into a single, streamlined platform. This structural shift ensures that social security is no longer viewed as a charity- or grant-based arrangement, but is instead established as a rightful entitlement of every citizen.

Looking ahead, she expressed optimism that the Family Card will eventually transform into a universal social identity card through which citizens can easily claim various state assistances. She hoped that this gift from the Prime Minister would open new doors of opportunity, allowing vulnerable groups to seamlessly access food security, education, and healthcare privileges. 

Assuring the public of continued administrative cooperation, she concluded by stating that the district administration will always remain supportive of marginalized communities.