The government has initiated a card system to bring farmers under it and ensure easier access to subsidies, loans, and incentives in the agriculture sector. As part of the pilot phase, 1,698 farmers in a block of the rchhara union under Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazar will receive farmer cards.
The government plans to formally inaugurate the “Farmer Card” distribution programme on April 14, launching it on a pilot basis. Ministers in respective districts are expected to hand over the cards to beneficiaries, with Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed likely to attend the programme in Cox’s Bazar and distribute cards among listed marginal farmers.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, the pilot will be conducted in one block of Baharchhara, covering a total of 1,698 farmers—1,463 men and 235 women. Among them are 1,641 crop farmers, 2 involved in fisheries, 10 livestock farmers, 2 salt farmers, 124 landless farmers, and 1,136 marginal farmers, alongside small and medium-scale farmers.
Officials said farmers are being categorised into five groups based on income, land ownership, and financial conditions: landless, marginal, small, medium, and solvent.
Under the scheme, eligible farmers will receive Tk 2,500 per month along with access to 10 types of services.
These include fairaffordableicultural inputs, government subsidies and incentives, irrigation support, easy agriaccess to cultural loans, crop insurance, fair pricing for produce, training, weather updates, and pest control guidance.
Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension Bimal Kumar Pramanik said the Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed is expected to attend the inauguration, although no official confirmation letter has yet been received.
He added that the program will initially cover 1,698 farmers in Baharchhara but will be expanded gradually to include all farmers in the district.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Hussain Shetu
