Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the 'Farmer Card' distribution in 11 upazilas of 10 districts across the country under the pre-piloting phase today (Tuesday) as part of the implementation of ruling BNP's election pledges.
According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) sources, the premier will officially launch the programme at 10:30 am at Shaheed Maruf Stadium in Tangail, on the occasion of the Pahela Baishakh-1433, reports BSS.
After inaugurating the programme, Tarique Rahman, also ruling party Chairman of BNP, will address a farmers' rally there. Later, he will inaugurate an agricultural fair at the Poura Udyan in Tangail town at 12:15pm.
Besides, after reaching Tangail, the premier will offer Ziarat at the mazar of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani in Santosh there at 10:00am.
The 'Farmer Card' programme, announced by the Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, aims to directly empower farmers, who are considered the backbone of Bangladesh's economy. The initiative also seeks to integrate the agriculture sector with modern technology.
After exchanging views with investors in agriculture and agro-based industries, PMO Spokesperson Mahdi Amin at a press conference at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday said that within just two months of assuming office, the Prime Minister has already implemented many electoral pledges one after another.
He said the aim of the 'Farmer Card' is to protect farmers' rights and improve their living standards.
In the first phase, Mahdi Amin said the programme will be launched in 11 upazilas across 10 districts while 30 lakhs farmers will be brought under the special card gradually.
On the inauguration day, the Prime Minister will open the pre-piloting programme by handing over 'Farmer Card' to 1,500 farmers in Tangail.
Under the pre-piloting phase, a total of 22,065 farmers will get the card under 11 blocks in 11 upazilas of the 10 districts across the country's eight divisions.
The 'Farmer Card' will be given to all farmers across the country under three phases- pre-pilot, pilot, and nationwide rollout while the farmers will be selected under five categories- landless, marginal, smallholder, medium-sized and large-scale farmers.
In the pre-piloting phase, along with crop farmers, fish farmers or fishermen, livestock farmers and dairy farmers have been included while salt farmers have also been included where applicable.
The cardholders will receive 10 types of services, including agricultural inputs in fair prices, irrigation support, easy loans, subsidies, training, weather updates, crop protection advice, insurance, and fair market access.
According to Fisheries, Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid, the pre-piloting phase will cost around Taka 8.34 crore. After this phase, a pilot programme will be launched in 15 upazilas by August this year.
