PM disburses Tk 12.5 billion cash aid for 5 million families

NEWS DESK

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday inaugurated the disbursement of Tk 12.5 billion (1,250 crore) cash aid for five million poor families hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
 
Each family is receiving Tk 2,500 cash support through mobile financial services (MFS) – bKash, Rocket, Nagad or SureCash ahead of the Eid-ul Fitr.

The Prime Minister opened the disbursement through a videoconference from her official residence Ganabhaban this morning.

The disbursement of cash aid will be completed within five days by May 18 and one million people will get the cash support through the MFS every day.

Through the cash support, some 20 million people will directly be benefited if on average four members are counted in each of the five million families, according to a UNB report.

People from the low-income group, including day labourers, rickshaw and van pullers, hawkers, construction workers, agriculture workers, poultry farm workers, bus and truck workers, and restaurant workers are on the list.

The families have been selected as they lost earnings due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and are not getting rice at subsidised rate of Tk 10 per kg and allowances under different social safety programmes.
 
Later, the Prime Minister opened the distribution of stipend and tuition fee among students of bachelor degree and its equivalent level of the 2019 academic year through mobile/online banking services.

PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus conducted the function and made a presentation over the cash support.