‘Family Card’ will empower women, says Mirza Fakhrul

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday said the newly introduced ‘Family Card’ programme would play an important role in strengthening the position of women and enhancing their confidence in society.

Speaking as the chief guest at a ‘Family Card’ distribution event held on the Combined UI Aleem Madrasa premises in Rahimanpur Union under Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila, the minister said the initiative would help women gain recognition and greater importance within their families and communities.

“With this card, women will be able to stand confidently anywhere. It will create a sense of empowerment and ensure that their voices are valued,” he said.

Mirza Fakhrul, who also serves as the Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), thanked Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for launching the programme and selecting the area for its implementation.

Recalling the commitments made before the national election, he said the government had pledged to introduce the Family Card programme if elected to power and was now fulfilling that promise.

He noted that the initiative had begun on a pilot basis and would gradually be expanded so that families across the country could benefit from it.

“We have started the process, and it will reach every household in due course,” he said.

The minister added that the government had moved quickly to implement its pledges, introducing the ‘Family Card’ programme within just 22 days of taking office.

He also mentioned that agricultural loans of up to Tk10,000 had recently been waived and that work to excavate canals would begin on the 16th of this month to help preserve rainwater for use during dry periods.

According to him, farmers will soon receive ‘Farmer Card’ that will allow them to buy fertiliser, seeds and irrigation services at reasonable prices.

Mirza Fakhrul also said that obtaining such benefits in the past often required unofficial payments, but the current initiative ensured that cards were distributed without any financial demand.

Emphasising the importance of public support, he said, “There is no power greater than the power of the people.”

The minister further announced that preparations were underway to start admissions at a medical college in the district by 2027, while plans for establishing a university and building an airport were also in progress.

He added that freelancing training programmes would be introduced to create employment opportunities for young people and that steps would be taken to protect the youth from drug abuse.

Thakurgaon-2 MP Dr Abdus Salam, Divisional Commissioner Shahidul Islam, Deputy Commissioner Ishrat Farzana, Superintendent of Police Belal Hossain, District BNP President Mirza Faisal Amin, Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Khairul Islam, local chairmen, leaders of BNP, members of the administration and beneficiaries also spoke on the occasion.