Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to launch the Farmers' Card programme on a pilot basis in Tangail on Pohela Boishakh, his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said.

The prime minister will inaugurate the scheme and distribute cards among farmers in Tangail Sadar upazila on the first day of the Bangla new year.

The initiative is being introduced under a pre-piloting project as part of implementing the government’s election pledge.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Farmers' Card formulation cell at the Cabinet Division, chaired by the prime minister.

“In the first phase, 21,500 farmers will receive financial assistance through mobile banking,” Atikur said.

The cards will be issued to farmers in the agriculture, fisheries and livestock sectors. Landless, marginal and small farmers will receive Tk 2,500 annually to help purchase agricultural inputs such as fertiliser, seeds, pesticide and animal feed.

Besides Tangail Sadar, the pilot will cover Sadar and Boda in Panchagarh, Shibganj in Bogura, Shailkupa in Jhenaidah, Nesarabad in Pirojpur, Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar, Adarsha Sadar in Cumilla, Islampur in Jamalpur, Goalanda in Rajbari and Juri in Moulvibazar.

The meeting also discussed the use of digital systems to manage farmers’ data and improve transparency in distributing subsidies and other support.