A Correspondent:
Netrakona: Deputy Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad and lawmaker from Netrokona-1 (Durgapur-Kalmakanda) constituency Barrister Kayser Kamal has said the “Family Card” programme was launched to build a humane state based on social justice, describing it as a “dream project” of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Kamal made the remarks while addressing a “Family Card” distribution ceremony as the chief guest at the Kalmakanda Zila Parishad Auditorium-cum-Multipurpose Hall on Saturday afternoon. The program was organized by the Ministry of Social Welfare.
The event was arranged under the government’s social safety net programs with the slogan “Family, not the individual, is the core unit of development” and “One ID, One Family” to implement the govern-ment’s social welfare vision.
Earlier, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman virtually inaugurated the second phase of the pilot program simultaneously across the country, including in Kalmakanda.
Issuing a stern warning to field-level officials and public representatives, the Deputy Speaker said no irregularities or financial corruption in the Family Card programme or any government development initiative would be tolerated.
“Corruption is not limited to financial transactions only. Negligence in collecting information from the real underprivileged households despite being assigned the responsibility is also a major form of corrup-tion,” he said.
Highlighting the realities of the data collection process, he said no discrimination based on class, religion or ethnicity — whether Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Garo or Hajong — can be made in distributing Fami-ly Cards. “Everyone must be evaluated equally as human beings,”
He also directed the authorities concerned to ensure that in future activities, priority is given to including families living in shanties, thatched houses and homes without even a single chair.
Barrister Kayser Kamal also urged affluent people who may have mistakenly received the allowance card worth Tk 2,500 to Tk 3,000 to share the support with genuinely poor neighbours.
Under the programme, Family Cards were distributed among 794 beneficiaries in Lengura Union of Kalmakanda upazila.
Deputy Commissioner Khandaker Mushfiqur Rahman chaired the program.
Among others, Netrokona-2 lawmaker and district BNP president Prof Dr Anwarul Haque, Zila Parishad Administrator Advocate Nuruzzaman Nuru, Superintendent of Police Md Tarikul Islam, Deputy Director of the Department of Social Services Shah Alam, Kalmakanda Upazila Nirbahi Officer SM Mikail Islam attended the event as special guests.
Local administration officials, public representatives, journalists and beneficiaries were also present at the program.
