Bangladesh LPG Card for Women Announced by PM Tarique

Bangladesh LPG Card for Women: PM Tarique Rahman Makes Major Announcement in Jashore

Jashore, April 28, 2026 | Living Arcade

The Bangladesh LPG card for women is now official. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman announced the new programme on April 27, 2026, at a public rally in Jashore. He said the card will help mothers across the country pay for cooking gas. The announcement came during a busy visit to Jashore district, where the Prime Minister also launched the re-excavation of the historic Ulashi canal.

What Is the Bangladesh LPG Card for Women?

The Bangladesh LPG card for women will work alongside the existing Family Card. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said the government took the decision two days before the rally. “We have taken a plan that, Inshallah, just like we have provided family cards for mothers, we will also provide LPG cards across Bangladesh so that they do not have to suffer in cooking and can prepare meals without worry,” he said.

The card targets the same group of women who receive the Family Card. The Prime Minister said the goal is women’s economic self-reliance. “Half of Bangladesh’s population is women. If they remain behind, the country cannot move forward. That is why we want to make women economically self-reliant,” he told the rally.

No rollout date has been set yet. The Prime Minister said implementation will happen gradually across the country.

Why the Bangladesh LPG Card Matters Right Now

Cooking gas prices are a major burden for millions of families right now. In Dhaka, a 12-kilogram LPG cylinder costs up to Tk 2,100. That is a serious expense for low-income households.

The Prime Minister spoke directly about this problem. “One of the major difficulties faced by mothers and sisters is cooking,” he said. The LPG card will address this gap. It will sit alongside the Family Card and the Farmer Card as part of the government’s broader welfare framework.

The timing of this announcement is important. Bangladesh is currently dealing with a power crisis. Rural areas lose electricity for up to ten hours per day. Many families cannot use electric stoves. They rely on LPG cylinders. Reducing the cost of that fuel will ease daily suffering for millions of people right now.

What Is the Family Card and How Does It Work?

Understanding the Bangladesh LPG card for women requires knowing how the Family Card works. The two programmes work together.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman launched the Family Card program just 26 days after winning the national election. He personally handed cards to beneficiaries at the TNT playground in the Karail slum of Banani in Dhaka.

Under the Family Card, low-income families receive Tk 2,500 per month or equally valued daily goods. The card is issued to the eldest female member of each family.

The government allocated Tk 38.07 crore for the pilot phase running until June 2026. Of that amount, Tk 25.15 crore goes directly to families as cash support.

The government plans to bring 40 million families under the Family Card programme over the next five years. The LPG card is the next step in that expansion.

Farmer Loan Waivers Also Announced

The Prime Minister did not stop at the LPG card. He also made a major announcement for farmers.

Tarique Rahman said the government has waived agricultural loans of up to Tk 10,000, including interest. Around 12 lakh farmers will benefit from this programme. This is a direct financial relief for the farming community ahead of the Aus paddy season.

Farmers across Bangladesh face serious hardship right now. The power crisis cuts electricity to irrigation pumps for hours every day. This loan waiver gives them breathing room during a very difficult growing season.

The July Charter Commitment

At the Jashore rally, the Prime Minister also spoke about political accountability.

“BNP will implement every clause and every line of that July Charter will be passed in the parliament,” he told supporters. The July Charter contains a set of reform promises made during the 2024 uprising that brought down the previous government. Student groups and civil society organisations watch its progress closely.

The Prime Minister also warned against any attempt to spread confusion. “Those who had tried to mislead the country’s people during the Liberation War in 1971, and later in 1986 and 2009, are now trying to mislead people again in 2026,” he said.

Who Will Benefit from the Bangladesh LPG Card for Women?

The Bangladesh LPG card for women will target the same households already receiving the Family Card. These are low-income families registered in the government welfare system.

The Family Card programme issues cards in the name of the female head of each household. This ensures that financial support goes directly to mothers and homemakers. The LPG card will follow the same model.

Women in rural areas will likely benefit most. They face both high gas prices and long daily power cuts. An LPG subsidy directly reduces one of their biggest household costs.

What This Means for Bangladesh

The Bangladesh LPG card for women is one of three welfare programmes now running or in development under the Tarique Rahman government. The Family Card, the Farmer Card, and now the LPG Card together form a social protection system aimed at reducing poverty for millions of Bangladeshis.

State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin described the Family Card as more than an aid programme. “By establishing a transparent and humane relationship between the state and its citizens, this initiative will transform Bangladesh into a developed and discrimination-free welfare state by 2030,” she said.

The LPG card fits into that same vision. Cooking gas is not a luxury. It is a daily necessity. Making it more affordable for mothers and homemakers is a practical step toward genuine economic inclusion.

Living Arcade will report on the Bangladesh LPG card for women as the government releases more details on registration, rollout dates, and eligibility. Visit our Bangladesh section and our Politics section for continuous updates on all welfare programmes under the Tarique Rahman government.