Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday assured that the newly introduced Farmer Card and Family Card schemes will not cause inflation in Bangladesh, emphasising that the initiatives will instead invigorate the domestic economy.
Responding to a supplementary question from National Citizen Party (NCP) lawmaker Akhter Hossen in Parliament, the Prime Minister said the funds distributed through these cards will remain in the local economy.
“We are not printing money to provide to cardholders. Marginal farmers and women will spend this money locally rather than transferring it abroad, so there is no risk of inflation,” he explained.
Tarique Rahman said recipients can use the funds for children’s education, household necessities, or to start small businesses. This, he noted, will strengthen local commerce, boost the circulation of money, and generate new employment opportunities.
Highlighting that 70-80 per cent of the population uses domestically produced goods, the Prime Minister said the programmes will benefit local industries. He cautioned that visible effects may take six months to appear but predicted significant improvement in the living standards of marginal communities within three to five years.
Regarding the programme’s budget, he said allocations will be gradually increased every year and incorporated into the national budget. The schemes will expand month by month, ensuring more women receive Family Cards and male farmers receive Farmer Cards.
“It is impossible to cover everyone at once. No country can do that,” he added.
The Prime Minister stressed that the programmes are a long-term investment in economic growth and social upliftment, with priority in successive national budgets.
.jpg "Bangladesh records 4 more measles-related deaths in past 24 hours")
