The Ministry of Social Welfare in Bangladesh has initiated a cleanup drive following reports of irregularities in the Family Card pilot program. The move came after media reports revealed that 62 affluent individuals in Jashore had received cards meant for low-income families. According to ministry sources, 325 cards were canceled due to recipients’ financial solvency or government affiliation, while a total of about 1,800 cards were revoked nationwide. The ministry is now conducting verification and corrective actions under the pilot guidelines.

Investigations found that some data collectors failed to conduct proper field surveys, leading to inclusion of ineligible individuals and exclusion of vulnerable groups such as river erosion victims in Sunamganj and ethnic minorities in Bandarban. The ministry has ordered reinvestigations in affected areas and begun administrative action against officials responsible for data manipulation. Issues with SIM and mobile financial service accounts also delayed payments to thousands of beneficiaries.

Social Welfare Minister Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain stated that the pilot’s purpose is to identify flaws before nationwide rollout. The government plans to train university students for improved data collection and expand the program under the 2026–27 budget, which allocates Tk 14,500 crore for Family Card benefits to 4.1 million women.