Labour Minister to launch farmer card distribution in Juri

Bangladesh has launched a nationwide farmer card distribution programme, with Ariful Haque Choudhury set to inaugurate the rollout in Juri Upazila of Moulvibazar as part of a wider government initiative to formalise agricultural support and subsidies.

The programme will also be formally launched at the national level by Tarique Rahman at Shaheed Maruf Stadium in Tangail Sadar at 10 am, according to official information. The initiative represents a key policy commitment under the election manifesto of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, focusing on structured financial and institutional support for farmers.

In the first phase, approximately 21,000 landless, marginal and small farmers across 11 upazilas in 10 districts will receive the cards, including 1,100 farmers in Juri. The government has set a target to distribute cards to 1.65 crore farmers nationwide over the next four years, with an estimated programme cost of Tk681 crore.

The farmer card will provide access to 10 categories of benefits, including direct cash incentives, agricultural inputs at fair prices, irrigation support, soft loans and agricultural insurance. The scheme is designed to streamline subsidy distribution and ensure targeted delivery through a verified system.

Officials said the initiative aims to recognise farmers as a formal professional group while improving income stability and strengthening transparency in public support mechanisms. The programme also integrates a digital database to identify genuine beneficiaries.

Farmers are being classified into five categories, including landless farmers owning less than 0.5 hectares of land, marginal farmers with holdings between 0.5 and 4.9 hectares; and small farmers with land between 50 and 249 decimals. This classification is intended to improve policy targeting and resource allocation.

The rollout follows earlier measures by the government, including the waiver of agricultural loans worth Tk1,550 crore for 1.2 million farmers, in line with election commitments.

The farmer card distribution programme marks a significant policy step in Bangladesh’s agricultural sector, with implications for rural income, subsidy efficiency and long-term food security.