Prime Minister Tarique Rahman spoke at the inauguration ceremony of the Family Card programme, organised by the Ministry of Social Welfare, at the T&T playground in Banani, adjacent to Korail slum on tuesday. Photo: PID

DHAKA, Mar 10, 2026 (BSS) - Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today said empowering women is crucial as it is quite impossible to advance the country leaving half of the population behind. 
 
"Half of the population of Bangladesh is women. We firmly believe that if we leave this half of the population behind, if we do not empower this half of the population, if we do not empower them, if we cannot empower them educationally and economically, then it is certainly not possible to move the country forward in any way," he told a function here.

The premier made the remarks while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Family Card programme, organised by the Ministry of Social Welfare, at T&T playground in Banani, adjacent to Korail slum, this morning.

Recalling the contribution of the former prime minister, late Begum Khaleda Zia, to women empowerment, Tarique Rahman said when Begum Khaleda Zia was in charge of running the country, she made education for women, from school level to intermediate level, free throughout Bangladesh. 

"Today, we want to empower that educated female society economically and to make them economically solvent," he said.

To this end, he said, the incumbent government has taken plans to empower women and as a part of it, today the Family Card progamme was introduced across Bangladesh.

"...I firmly believe that my government will be able to gradually bring this family card to all the four crore families in Bangladesh, headed by women, within the next five years, InshaAllah," he said.

The Prime Minister said the government has to follow rules and regulations in taking any initiative, and as part of those rules and regulations, it has to take pilot projects first.

This work (Family Card progamme) has started in 14 places or 14 upazilas across Bangladesh involving about 37,000 women," he said. 

In three areas of capital - Karail area, Bhashantek area and Sattala slum, about 15,000 women have been brought under the Family Card programme today, he added.

The Prime Minister said before the general elections, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) promised to the country's people to start work to distribute family cards among women if the party is elected to power. 

Less than a month after forming the government, he said, his government began works to fulfill the promise they made to the people. 

Besides, he mentioned that his party had made some other promises, including introduction of 'Farmer Card'. 

"We have also started the work on the Farmer Card. InshaAllah, just as we were able to hand over family cards to 37,000 women, in today's event, in the same way, within the next month we will be able to hand over Farmer Cards to many other farmer brothers, InshaAllah," the premier added.

He said BNP also promised the farmers that if it is able to form the government, they will waive off the agricultural loans of up to Taka 10,000, including interest. 

Last week, Tarique Rahman said, the government announced waiving off agricultural loans up to Taka 10,000, including interest.

He said the government would change the fates of people by fulfilling these pledges gradually.

The Prime Minister said today is very emotional day for him as the Family Card programme was launched on this day.

"The guests present here today, some people with whom I have been sitting for the past many years, we have made plans on how we will implement that Family Card," he said.

"By the grace of Allah Almighty, today is the day when we have been able to keep our promise. That is why today is an emotional day for me. I think it is a historic and emotional day for my government and my party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party," the premier said.

Noting that Bangladesh is their first and last resort, he said the expectations of the country's people are high from the incumbent elected government. 

"Even if, at the same time, if we consider the reality and the contemporary affairs, the situation in the Middle East-if we consider everything...we will definitely not change our position from our promises at all. 

"Maybe due to the contemporary global situation, in some cases, it may take us more time to implement the promises," he said.

Tarique Rahman urged the countrymen to face the entire situation with patience. "Let us build our country beautifully with patience."

Mentioning his slogan - "We will work, we will build the country, Bangladesh first!" he said his government is accountable to the people of Bangladesh. 

"This government has been elected by the people of this country. Generally, this government is obliged to be accountable to the people of this country," he added.

Earlier, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the government's landmark "Family Card" programme to ensure women empowerment in the country as he distributed cards among them. 

The premier handed over the family cards to 17 women at the inauguration ceremony.

Later, Tarique Rahman reached out the money of family cards to accounts of 37,567 women in 14 places of different districts by pressing button on laptop.

Dr Zubaida Rahman, spouse of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman; Social Welfare Minister Abu Zafar Md Zahid Hossain, State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin, Social Welfare Secretary Dr Mohammad Abu Yusuf and Dhaka North City Corporation administrator Shafiqul Islam Khan were present, among others, on the occasion.

The Family Card programme is part of the government's commitment to achieving national development and social justice by empowering women and recognising them as the heads of families in social protection programmes.