BNP pledges ‘Family Card’ and jobs to empower women

With the general election knocking at the door, the BNP is seeking to attract female voters by pledging to introduce a “Family Card” that would provide women with cash assistance and essential items. 

If elected, the party also plans to create more jobs for women, improve safety in public transport, and expand access to maternal and neonatal healthcare.

Senior BNP leaders said the commitments are part of the party’s election manifesto and its 31-point reform outline, which places women’s empowerment at the centre of governance and development.

According to Election Commission data, of the total 12,76,95,183 voters, 6,28,79,042 are women.

Under the proposed Family Card scheme, women cardholders would receive monthly financial assistance of Tk 2,000–2,500 or essential food items such as rice, pulses, cooking oil and salt.

The programme would initially cover 50 lakh women across the country, focusing on low-income households, female-headed families, and economically vulnerable women, the party said.

Meanwhile, to improve safety and mobility, the BNP pledged to introduce dedicated bus services for women in cities and on key transport routes.

Senior leaders also acknowledged that outreach to female voters at the grassroots had been weak in the past, prompting the party to take new initiatives ahead of the election.

In the health sector, the party pledged to recruit around one lakh new health workers nationwide, with 80 percent being women. 

BNP leaders said this would help address shortages in frontline healthcare while creating jobs for women, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.

The party also said upazila health complexes would be strengthened to provide full maternal care, including safe childbirth, as well as comprehensive newborn and child healthcare.

“Maternal and child health outcomes depend heavily on access to timely and quality services at the local level,” a BNP health policy adviser said.

“Strengthening upazila facilities will reduce pressure on tertiary hospitals and save lives.”

The BNP also pledged targeted employment programmes for uneducated rural women and homemakers, focusing on skills training and income generation.

Proposed training areas include handicrafts, cottage industries, small businesses, computer literacy and digital skills. 

Participants would receive microcredit on easy terms and equipment support to start or expand income-generating activities.

“These programmes are designed to bring women into the economy on their own terms,” a BNP official said. “Not everyone can migrate to cities or take up factory work. Localised skills and small enterprises can transform household economies.”

In its 31-point outline, the BNP committed to programmes aimed at empowering women and ensuring their effective participation in national development. 

The party also pledged to work towards increasing women’s representation in local government bodies.

BNP Standing Committee member Selima Rahman said, “These plans are not promises made just to get women’s votes but are meant to empower them. Women must be made self-reliant through employment. If women at the grassroots level can be made self-reliant through family cards, their dignity in society will also increase.” 

“If the people elect us in the upcoming election, we will implement these plans,” she added. 

Responding to a question, she said supporters of political parties often mislead female voters in various ways. “We do not want to counter this with misinformation. We will explain what is correct and what is not.”

BNP leaders said the pledges were printed in photo leaflets and distributed door to door as the official campaign began.

BNP leaders said the pledges have been printed in leaflets and distributed door to door since the official campaign began. 

Senior leaders also acknowledged that outreach to female voters at the grassroots had been weak in the past, prompting the party to take new initiatives ahead of the election, said party insiders.